Demonstrators gathered in downtown Toronto on Saturday — one of many protests staged around the world over the Nigerian government’s inability to track down its kidnapped schoolgirls.
The Islamic militant group Boko Haram took 276 girls from a boarding school in northern Nigeria four weeks ago, and made off with another eight earlier this week. The group says it will sell the girls into slavery.
The small group protesting in Dundas Square included many people originally from Nigeria.
“One woman told me her daughter is in the country right now and that she’s concerned for her safety,” said CBC’s Natalie Kalata from the scene. “Another individual was very upset the girls have not been found and not returned safely, saying if this had happened in Canada those girls would have been found by now.”
Nigeria’s lack of progress in the matter has prompted both condemnation and offers of help from around the world.