New footage shows Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau and around 130 of the youngsters abducted in Nigeria who he says have converted to Islam.
Allegedly the kidnapped schoolgirls ... Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram shows girls, wearing the full-length hijab and praying in an undisclosed rural location in a new video. Source: AFP
Protesters, including Nigeria's former Education Minister, express their right to a peaceful gathering as they call for the return of more than 200 girls kidnapped by Boko Haram. Gavino Garay reports.
Muslims in Nigeria pray for the safe return of more than 200 schoolgirls abducted by Islamist militants last month. Deborah Lutterbeck reports.
BOKO Haram has released a new video claiming to show the missing Nigerian schoolgirls, alleging the teenagers had converted to Islam and would not be released until all militant prisoners were freed.
The Islamic terrorist group's leader, Abubakar Shekau, speaks on the video obtained today for 17 minutes before showing what he said were the girls, in Muslim dress and praying in an undisclosed rural location.
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Cold-blooded killer ... Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau in a screengrab from a video released by the Islamist terrorist group. Source: AFP
A total of 276 girls were abducted on April 14 from the north-eastern town of Chibok, in Borno state, which has a sizeable Christian community. A total of 223 are still missing.
The footage shows about 130 girls in black and grey full-length hijabs sitting on scrubland near trees, reciting the first chapter of the Muslim holy book, the Koran, and holding their palms upwards in prayer.
Three of the girls are interviewed. Two say they were Christian and had converted while one said she was Muslim. Most of the group were seated. The girls appeared calm and one said that they had not been harmed.
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There was no indication of when the video was taken, although the quality is better than on previous occasions and at one point an armed man is seen in shot with a hand-held video camera.
Boko Haram has been waging an increasingly deadly insurgency in Nigeria's mainly Muslim north since 2009, attacking schools teaching a "Western" curriculum, churches and government targets.
Civilians, though, have borne the brunt of recent violence, with more than 1,500 killed this year alone while tens of thousands have been displaced after their homes and businesses were razed.
Nigeria's government has been criticised for its lack of immediate response to the kidnapping but has been forced to act after Shekau threatened to sell the girls as slaves.
President Goodluck Jonathan has now accepted help from the United States, Britain, France, China and Israel, which have sent specialist teams to help in the search effort.
Over 200 missing ... A screengrab from a video from Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram claiming to show the kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls. Source: AFP
In the video, Shekau appears in front of a lime green canvas backdrop wearing combat fatigues and carrying an automatic weapon. Shekau does not appear in the same shot as the girls at any point during the 27-minute video.
Speaking in Hausa and Arabic, he restates his claim of responsibility made in a video released last Monday and said the girls had converted to Islam.
"These girls, these girls you occupy yourselves with ... we have indeed liberated them. We have indeed liberated them. Do you know we have liberated them? These girls have become Muslims," he said.
Propaganda .. Girls wearing the full-length hijab hold a flag reading "There is no god, but Allah" and "Mohammed is Allah's prophet" in the video from Islamic terrorist organisation Boko Haram. Source: AFP
The militant leader said that Boko Haram's brothers in arms had been held in prison for up to five years and suggested that the girls would be released if the fighters were freed.
"We will never release them (the girls) until after you release our brethren. Here I mean those girls who have not submitted (converted to Islam)," he added.
Boko Haram has used kidnapping of women and young girls in the past and Shekau indicated that more were being held.
Eleven girls were abducted from the Gwoza area of Borno state on May 4.
Threat ... Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram Abubakar Shekau wants all militant prisoners freed before releasing the kidnapped schoolgirls. Source: AFP
Video showed "schoolgirls" ... Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau does not appear in shots with the "schoolgirls". Source: AFP
Meanwhile Twilight actor Kellan Lutz is the latest star to throw his support behind the #BringBackOurGirls campaign.
The 29-year-old actor was joined by his mother, Karla Pope, at the Anti-Defamation League dinner and took the opportunity to join the fight for the safe return of the kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls.
"My mother and I are praying for their safe return. It can't happen soon enough. #BringBackOurGirls @girlrising," Lutz tweeted, captioning a photo of himself with his mother.
Lutz followed in the footsteps of actress Kerry Washington, Reese Witherspoon, Kim Kardashian and several other celebrities, who have all shared photos of themselves with signs of the phrase "#BringBackOurGirls".
Singer Alicia Keys was among those making a call to action last week, urging her Instagram followers to sign a petition calling on world leaders to intervene.
"I'm so saddened and enraged that these girls are not back where they belong! Safe at home and at school! Safe with their families! Safe to become the incredible leaders and powerful voices they are yet to be," she wrote.
"Shout! Participate! Show that you care! #BringBackOurGirls," Amy Poehler tweeted.
"#BringBackOurGirls Fear of education 4 girls in any country condemns the future of that country. WHY HURT YOUR OWN FUTURE#BringBackOurGirls," Oscar-winning actress Whoopi Goldberg added.
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