IT was the story that shocked the world: the kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls in the north-eastern Nigerian town of Chibok in April.

While dozens of girls managed to escape from the Islamic extremist terrorist group Boko Haram, 219 remain missing.

Nigeria’s military chief announced in October that Boko Haram had agreed to an immediate ceasefire to end a five-year insurgency that had killed thousands and driven hundreds of thousands from their homes in northeast Nigeria. This raised hopes that the girls would be released.

But the leader of Boko Haram denied agreeing to a ceasefire and claimed the missing schoolgirls had all converted to Islam and been married off.

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