Nigeria marks one-year anniversary of abduction of school girls

Nigerians on Tuesday held ceremonies to mark the one-year anniversary of the abduction of more than 200 secondary school girls by the militant group Boko Haram, with the fate of most of the girls remains unknown.

In the capital Abuja, volunteers staged a silent rally with each of them holding up a placard and wearing a red tape over their mouth to show the tragic situation of the abducted girls that have been deprived of voices.

"We cannot act like they don't exist, we must help them," read a placard.

Speaking on the first anniversary of the kidnapping, Nigeria's President-elect Muhammadu Buhari said he cannot promise the return of the girls.

"Their whereabouts remain unknown. As much as I wish to, I cannot promise that we can find them," said Buhari in a statement.

During a ceremony held in Abuja, Sambo Dasuki, Nigeria's National Security Adviser, said the government would make every effort to rescue the girls, adding the troops are stepping up offensive against Boko Haram.

He said the troops would reclaim Sambisa Forest, one of Boko Haram's remaining camps, before May 29, the day for the new government to take office.

"Sambisa would have been liberated but for the unfavorable weather condition in the region as all needed reconnaissance activity and deployment of troops have been made for the operation, " said he, adding "every movement of the terrorists is being monitored."

The abduction of 276 school girls in Chibok town of Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno drew worldwide attention last year.

Some 57 girls managed to escape, while little has been known about the whereabouts of the missing 219 girls. Reports suggest they may have been separated and taken to regional countries. Endi