Nigeria - 276 School Girls Kidnapped

This is so appalling that I can barely hold back the tears. In Nigeria three weeks ago, terrorists attacked a boarding school for girls, overwhelmed the security guards and kidnapped at least 276 students because they don't believe in education for girls. Some of the girls  - 53 of them according to some reports - escaped meaning that at least 223 are still held captive.The attackers - an Islamist group calling themselves Boko Haram - like the Taliban in Afghanistan and other extremist groups claim to be representing their religion. They are not. Islam does not deny education to women and girls.  The group leaders say the girls aged between 16 and 18 will be sold into marriage or slavery.

Bad as this is, the ineptitude - or worse - on the part of the Nigerian Government has compounded the situation. Initially at least, the government seems to have sat on their collective hands, while the parents, teachers and other community members led the search. They have now asked for help from the international community but after three weeks any hope of a rescue is unlikely. Let's hope it's not too late.