The reports are conflicting. In what could be one of Nigeria’s biggest breakthroughs regarding the Chibok Girls, online news articles have announced that Boko Haram has offered to negotiate the release of many of their members for the release of the Chibok Girls, who were kidnapped on April 14th, 2014 by Boko Haram from Government Secondary School, in Chibok, Northern Nigeria. Yet, not all reports claim the same findings; while the leader of Chad, Idris Deby, informed Chadians that Boko Haram’s leader, Abubukar Shekau, had been replaced by another leader willing to negotiate, Shekau announced that he was still alive on August 16th. This puts Boko Haram’s willingness to negotiate into question.

Over 200 schoolgirls from Chibok, Nigeria were kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014 and later filmed by the Boko Haram praying in hijabs. (MANDATORY CREDIT. REUTERS/Boko Haram handout via Reuters TV)

Even in the event of Boko Haram being willing to negotiate, many are skeptical about how successful negotiating with Boko Haram could be. Many are completely against negotiations with Boko Haram, for good reason; many don’t believe the terrorist group would come through with the negotiation’s agreements, after Shekau himself claimed to “have married them off,” stating that “they [were] all in their husbands’ houses” (source). With little to no idea on the trustworthiness of Boko Haram, and with no information on the precious 200 Chibok school girls still missing, it is hard to know what to believe.

So, whose voice should we listen to? With so many conflicting pathways to take on the matter, it can be hard to both know what is the true and truly dependable path to take. Who or what are we to place our faith in? In such a time, it is important to, like the Nigerian soldiers of today, remember the Giver of our mission, and the initial mission He gave.  Focus and faith are needed if we are ever to walk an established, sure path. Continue reading →