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Nigerian girl talks about her escape from Boko Haram in Dubai

Dubai - Sa'a was speaking at the 5th annual Global Education and Skills Forum

One of the Nigerian girls who was kidnapped by the terrorist group Boko Haram has spoken out about how she jumped out of a moving truck to escape.
Sa'a was speaking at the 5^th annual Global Education and Skills Forum, where she highlighted that 195 girls remain missing after Boko Haram bombarded into their school in Chibok with guns in April, 2014.
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Sa'a, who uses a fake name to protect her identity from terrorists, was one of the female students of the 276 pupils who were taken away in a truck by the terrorists. The incident created a global backlash, and created the hashtag '#BringBackOurGirls'. However, only 21 girls have been released until today and some came back with babies.
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"What happened that night was terrible. We were writing our final exams. They came to our school dressed in military uniforms, so we didn't know they were the Boko Haram. They wanted us to get in the truck and told us they were going to protect us. But they started shooting. All of the teachers ran away," Sa'a said.
"I thought I was going to die. They came with a very long truck and loaded all of the food and the girls. Some of the girls couldn't fit, so they made them walk and follow the truck. Before leaving, they burned down the school and all of our books.
"As we moved deeper into a forest, some of the girls were jumping out of the truck. I turned to my friend and told her we should jump too. We jumped and disappeared into the forest, but my friend hurt her ankle and couldn't walk.
"We met a shepherd who took helped us with his bicycle. And then a man in a motorcycle took us home."
Even though Sa'a made it home, the Boko Haram men released a video, threatening to kill her and her family.
After Sa'a's escape, the Justice for Jos Project found a school for her in the US where she went to study. In January this year, she started college under a project called Education Must Continue Initiative.
One other girl, who was not part of the Chibok school abduction, lost her father and three younger siblings after they were brutally shot dead by Boko Haram.
Rachel's father, a plain-clothed policeman, was protecting a Church in 2014, when Boko Haram attacked him. He fled to his house to gather his family, however, he and his three sons were killed.
Rachel said: "I'm not comfortable with everything I've seen and been through - seeing dead bodies.
"A lot of the children there do not want to go to school because they are scared the same thing will happen to them."
Today, Rachel, who also uses a fake name to protect her identity, is in the process of admissions with an American college.
Both Rachel and Sa'a said they want their stories to be told repeatedly in hopes that the missing girls will return home safely one day. They also wish that their country can create a safer environment for children so they can continue their education.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com