Abubakar Shekau, the leader of Nigerian Islamist militant group Boko Haram, has claimed responsibility for the more than 200 schoolgirls that were abducted two weeks ago and vowed to “sell them in the market.”
After pressure from the international community for the Nigerian government to act, the country’s president has reached out to the U.S., among other countries, for help finding and ensuring the release of the girls.
Secretary of State John Kerry said on a trip to Africa that the U.S. will do all it can to help, and also took the opportunity to slam the jihadists for…not offering a health care plan?
“The kidnapping of hundreds of children by Boko Haram is an unconscionable crime, and we will do everything possible to support the Nigerian government to return these young women to their homes and to hold the perpetrators to justice,” Kerry said in a speech in Ethiopia.
“I will tell you, my friends, I have seen this scourge of terror across the planet, and so have you,” he continued. “They don't offer anything except violence. They don’t offer a health care plan, they don’t offer schools. They don't tell you how to build a nation, they don’t talk about how they will provide jobs. They just tell people, ‘You have to behave the way we tell you to,’ and they will punish you if you don’t.
“Our responsibility and the world’s responsibility is to stand up against that kind if nihilism,” Kerry said.
Boko Haram, which means “Western education is forbidden,” also does not advocate for a minimum wage or equal pay, Mr. Kerry, nor do they care about carbon emissions. Wake up; you are not in the West.
Notebook