By Kenneth Madaki
No fewer than 12 Chibok schoolgirls who were abducted on April 14, 2014 have graduated from the American University of Nigeria (AUN) in Yola, Adamawa State.
Their graduation coincided with the 17th graduation ceremony (commencement) of the AUN.
Speaking about their graduation, the Vice President, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, said that it has raised hope for women’s education in the country and beyond.
Shettima, who spoke at the graduation ceremony on Saturday, was represented by the Executive Secretary, National University Commission (NUC), Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu.
He commended the university for providing a conducive atmosphere for the 12 Chibok schoolgirls to earn a university degree.
He said the 12 Chibok schoolgirls’ graduation represented hope that women’s education is paramount for national development.
The commencement speaker, Stephanie Busari, highlighted the role of the Federal Government in sponsoring the Chibok schoolgirls to obtain degrees at AUN, describing it as both commendable and a symbol of hope for girls’ education.
“Now, there are twelve women in this room I want to speak to directly. They are among the hundreds of Chibok schoolgirls who were abducted from their dormitories in 2014, and they are graduating today.
“In May 2017, I stood in a room at the Presidency in Aso Rock and hugged some of them. I had spent years covering their story as a journalist,” Busari said.
Busari disclosed that a proof-of-life video she obtained earlier helped confirm the girls were alive at a time when public attention to their case was fading.
”A year before, I had obtained a vital proof-of-life video that showed these young women were still alive at a time when the world had started to forget about them.”
“At the time, we did not know if the work would make any difference. We did it because the alternative was silence, and silence felt like complicity.
“After the initial coverage, the story began to fade. The news cycle moved on, the way it always does. There were moments I wondered whether continuing to push the story mattered at all.”
Speaking at the event, the President of AUN, Dewayne Frazier said that the graduation of the 12 Chibok schoolgirls validated AUN’s mission as a development university and that it has proven it is possible to bridge the gap between trauma and high level education success.
He said, “These graduates now stand as beacons of light for the Northeast and the world. Their success sends a powerful message: education is the most proven tool for healing and transformation, capable of reclaiming lives and building a brighter, more secure future for Nigeria.”
Frazier commended the Ministry of Women Affairs for sponsoring the girls to acquire quality education at the AUN.
A total of 276 girls were abducted by Boko Haram militants from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Nigeria, on the night of April 14, 2014. While dozens escaped immediately or were released in subsequent years, over 80 to 90 of the schoolgirls remain in captivity or are still missing 10-12 years.
Over 180 girls have been freed or escaped over the last decade, often appearing with children born while in captivity.
As of early 2026, reports suggest that over 80 to 91 girls remain missing, with their fates unknown.