Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2014-05-20

Pupils from schools in Lenasia, south of Johannesburg braved the chilly weather to show their support for the Nigerian school girls kidnapped by militant group Boko Haram.

With placards displaying the slogan: “Bring Back Our Girls” the pupils lined the route along the Golden Highway close to the Grasmere toll with motorists hooting and cheering the efforts by the learners.

Boko Haram abducted More than 300 girls on April 15 from their school in Chibok in the country’s remote northeast.

Fifty-three escaped and 276 remain captive.

“We’ve been motivated by the issues surrounding the kidnapped children in Nigeria by Boko Haram,” Mr. Nad Pillay the principal of Willowmead Secondary School told Radio Islam.

“Our children at our school identify with those learners in Nigeria. We as African’s understand the pain that that those children would be going through.”

Pillay said it is very disappointing that although many people have spoken out about the kidnappings, very little has been done thus far concerning the kidnappings.  

“We are making a statement including to our own government that they take action against the atrocities of Boko Haram especially when it comes to our little children.”

“Our children should not be involved in the fight, they should be allowed to grow in a free environment and express themselves,” said Pillay.  

(Twitter: @Faizie143)