Watch Stolen Daughters: Kidnapped by Boko Haram

Stolen Daughters: Kidnapped by Boko Haram is a documentary film released in 2018 that highlights the tragic abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok, Nigeria, by the Islamic extremist group, Boko Haram. The film, directed by Gemma Atwal, was produced by HBO and BBC2 and provides a chilling account of the everyday life of the girls before and after they were abducted.

The documentary provides a comprehensive insight into the events leading up to the actual kidnapping. It gives the viewer an understanding of the socio-political climate of Nigeria, which has been riddled with religious and ethnic tensions and a long history of corruption. Moreover, it shows how Boko Haram, the extremist group behind the kidnappings, has capitalized on these divisions to gain support.

The actual kidnapping process is also shown in great detail. The girls are abducted in the middle of the night by members of the Boko Haram group who pose as soldiers. They are loaded onto trucks, and despite some girls' attempts to escape, the majority are taken away to an undisclosed location by the kidnappers.

The documentary then shifts its focus to the aftermath of the kidnapping. It shows the efforts of the Nigerian government and international communities to locate and rescue the girls. It reveals the mismanagement and incompetence that hindered these efforts, including the lack of cooperation between the Nigerian government and the international community.

The film also features interviews with some of the girls who managed to escape from captivity. They describe the inhumane conditions in which they were kept and the physical and psychological abuse they endured at the hands of their captors. These accounts highlight the importance of the global movement for the return of the #ChibokGirls, which gained significant attention on social media, galvanizing the Nigerian government, and international community to take action.

The film makes a strong case that the Chibok kidnappings are not isolated events but, rather, part of a much broader pattern in which Boko Haram seeks to intimidate communities through acts of terror. It shows how the group targets schools, and specifically girls' education, as part of its broader ideological commitment to Islamic fundamentalism.

The film concludes by drawing attention to the ongoing impact of the kidnappings, both on the girls who were taken and those in the broader Nigerian community. It highlights the need to continue working to ensure that such atrocities are never repeated.

Overall, Stolen Daughters: Kidnapped by Boko Haram is an extremely powerful and emotional documentary that provides a voice to a tragedy that had been largely ignored by the mainstream media. It is an essential watch for anyone interested in the ongoing conflict in Nigeria and the global fight against terrorism. It is a testament to the bravery of the young women who survived, and those in the broader communities that refused to stay silent in the face of atrocity.