It’s been two weeks since hundreds of Nigerian schoolgirls were abducted by an armed group that has terrorized northeastern Nigeria. There have been reports that some of the girls may have already been sold into sexual slavery, or will soon be sold into forced “marriage.”

The Nigerian government has yet to take effective action. It’s outrageous and unacceptable.

Boko Haram, the Islamist armed group claiming responsibility for the kidnappings, opposes any form of western education. Boko Haram members reportedly descended on the school and loaded the terrified girls onto trucks in the dead of night. They drove away unhindered.

Boko Haram has waged a vicious insurgency campaign in northern Nigeria. Amnesty International estimates that 2,300 people have died as a result of armed conflict since 2010. The Nigerian military has waged a harsh counterinsurgency campaign against Boko Haram in the past, but it’s shown little interest in helping these girls.

Education is a human right, and all girls in Chibok or elsewhere should be able to pursue it, free from violence. The abductions could prevent other parents from sending their girls to school.

Send a message today to the Nigerian government demanding the girls’ safe return and urging the government to protect the rights of all people living in Nigeria.