IV 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 319 
Recognizing the Seventh Anniversary of the Chibok Girls Kidnapping by 
the Boko Haram Terrorist Organization and calling on the Government 
of Nigeria to redouble efforts to bring an end to the conflict in northeast 
and central Nigeria and to provide assistance to the victims. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 14, 2021 
Ms. WILSON of Florida (for herself, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. GARAMENDI, Ms. BASS, 
Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, and Mr. MCGOV-
ERN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the Seventh Anniversary of the Chibok Girls 
Kidnapping by the Boko Haram Terrorist Organization 
and calling on the Government of Nigeria to redouble 
efforts to bring an end to the conflict in northeast and 
central Nigeria and to provide assistance to the victims. 
Whereas the Boko Haram is a Nigeria-based militant group 
with links to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and the 
Islamic State; 
Whereas Boko Haram’s campaign of mass and systemic bru-
tality has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of indi-
viduals in northeast and central Nigeria and, according 
to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 
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has caused the displacement of 2,400,000 people in Nige-
ria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger; 
Whereas the Department of State designated Boko Haram as 
a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 2013, and supports 
efforts to defeat Boko Haram with security and develop-
ment tools; 
Whereas Boko Haram rejects modern education and science, 
is engaged in an armed revolt against the Government of 
Nigeria, and has carried out vicious campaigns of vio-
lence against schools, public institutions, law enforce-
ment, and civilians; 
Whereas, since 2012, Boko Haram has conducted brutal 
mass kidnappings of women, girls, and boys, and has ab-
ducted thousands of women and girls from schools and 
markets, during raids on villages and houses, and on 
public transportation; 
Whereas, on April 14, 2014, Boko Haram militants attacked 
a boarding school in Chibok in Borno State, where girls 
from surrounding areas had gathered to take final exams; 
Whereas the Boko Haram terrorists arrived in Chibok late at 
night, fired their guns indiscriminately, burned down 
houses, raided the dormitories, and kidnapped 276 girls 
who were between 12 and 17 years of age; 
Whereas 57 girls escaped by running into the forest or jump-
ing off the kidnappers’ trucks as they were driving away; 
Whereas the 219 kidnapped girls were held captive, abused, 
enslaved, repeatedly raped, starved, and, in some cases, 
forcibly converted to Islam and married to their captors; 
Whereas child, early, and forced marriages are serious human 
rights violations; 
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tion continues to mount attacks against civilians, schools, 
and security forces; 
Whereas Boko Haram continues to abduct women and girls 
in the northern region of Nigeria, routinely forcing girls 
to choose between forced marriages to its fighters (for 
the purpose of sexual slavery) or becoming suicide bomb-
ers; 
Whereas, on February 19, 2018, Boko Haram militants 
stormed the town of Dapchi and abducted 110 girls from 
the Government Girls Science and Technical School and 
2 other children; 
Whereas 106 of the children from the Dapchi kidnapping 
have been released and 5 of the children are presumed 
to have died in captivity; 
Whereas Leah Sharibu remains a hostage because she refuses 
to convert to Islam; 
Whereas according to the International Committee of the Red 
Cross, an estimated two million people have been dis-
placed from their homes in northeast Nigeria; 
Whereas for several years the United States Government has 
provided assistance for women and girls targeted by Boko 
Haram and individuals displaced by Boko Haram vio-
lence, and has assisted in combating Boko Haram; 
Whereas in section 1(c) of Public Law 114–266 (130 Stat. 
1383), Congress stated that ‘‘lack of economic oppor-
tunity and access to education, justice, and other social 
services contributes to the ability of Boko Haram to 
radicalize and recruit individuals’’; 
Whereas educating girls transforms societies for the better by 
giving girls the knowledge and tools to make positive de-
cisions about their futures, live healthier lives, provide 
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nurturing environments for their families, and play active 
roles in their communities and economies; 
Whereas the United States Government has appropriated 
$15,000,000 in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 for programs 
to combat child marriage; 
Whereas in section 2 of the Women, Peace, and Security Act 
of 2017 (Public Law 115–68; 131 Stat. 1202), Congress 
found that ‘‘[w]omen in conflict-affected regions have 
achieved significant success in . . . moderating violent 
extremism . . . and stabilizing societies by enhancing the 
effectiveness of security services, peacekeeping efforts, in-
stitutions, and decisionmaking processes’’; and 
Whereas section 4 of the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 
2017 (22 U.S.C. 2152j) states, ‘‘It shall be the policy of 
the United States to promote the meaningful participa-
tion of women in all aspects of overseas conflict preven-
tion, management, and resolution, and post-conflict relief 
and recovery efforts’’: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes the tragic seventh anniversary of 
the Chibok girls kidnapping and calls for the imme-
diate release of all Boko Haram captives, especially 
the remaining Chibok girls and Leah Sharibu; 
(2) applauds the extraordinary bravery of sur-
vivors of Boko Haram, who continue to come for-
ward to share their stories and experiences at great 
personal risk; 
(3) urges the Government of Nigeria, in co-
operation with regional partners and the inter-
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national community, to redouble efforts to defeat 
Boko Haram; 
(4) calls on the Government of Nigeria— 
(A) to prioritize the recovery of women and 
girls who have been abducted and enslaved by 
Boko Haram; 
(B) to work to determine the whereabouts 
of the thousands of missing people in Nigeria 
and provide a full accounting of the number of 
missing girls; 
(C) to undertake concrete efforts to reduce 
the stigmatization and marginalization of those 
abducted by Boko Haram and provide coun-
seling and support; 
(D) to allow women and girls to be re-
united with their families whenever appropriate; 
and 
(E) to accept international assistance in a 
timely manner when offered; 
(5) encourages continued efforts by the United 
States Government to defeat Boko Haram through 
development and security partnerships with Nigeria 
and other regional partners; 
(6) calls on the Department of State and the 
Department of Defense to rapidly implement the 5- 
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year regional strategy required under Public Law 
114–266 to address the grievous threat posed by 
Boko Haram and other violent extremist organiza-
tions; and 
(7) requests that the Department of State track 
and report the number of missing persons kidnapped 
by Boko Haram and include such information in its 
annual Trafficking in Persons Report. 
Æ 
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