Pics: #BringBackOurGirls campaign to free Nigerian schoolgirls

The kidnapping of the Nigerian schoolgirls has ignited a viral social media campaign that has brought renewed attention to Boko Haram's campaign of violence, and protests around the world

A still from a video released by Boko Haram in April claiming to show the missing Nigerian schoolgirls
Boko Haram has released a new video claiming to show the missing Nigerian schoolgirls, alleging they had converted to Islam and would not be released until all militant prisoners were freed. A total of 276 girls were abducted on April 14 from the northeastern town of Chibok, in Borno state, which has a sizeable Christian community.Picture: Boko Haram/AFP Credit: Boko Haram/AFP
A man claiming to be the leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, in the newly released video
The group's leader, Abubakar Shekau, speaks on the video for 17 minutes before showing what he said were about 130 of the girls, wearing the full-length hijab and praying in an undisclosed rural location.Picture: Boko Haram/AFP Credit: Boko Haram/AFP
A still from a video released by Boko Haram claiming to show the missing Nigerian schoolgirls
International efforts have widened to trace more than schoolgirls, while France has called for African leaders to hold a summit focused on the issue.Picture: AFP PHOTO / BOKO HARAM Credit: AFP PHOTO / BOKO HARAM
Boko Haram video claims to show missing Nigerian schoolgirls
Britain, the United States and France have already sent specialist teams and equipment to help Nigeria's military in the search concentrated in the remote northeast, which has been hit by five years of deadly violence.Picture: AFP PHOTO / BOKO HARAM Credit: AFP PHOTO / BOKO HARAM
Boko Haram video claims to show missing Nigerian schoolgirls
Nigeria's government has been criticised as slow to respond to the crisis and Amnesty International claimed that the military had prior warning of the impending abductions.Picture: Boko Haram/AFP Credit: Boko Haram/AFP
A still from the video
Boko Haram, whose name translates loosely from the Hausa language spoken widely in northern Nigeria as "Western education is sin", has attacked schools, churches, government installations and, increasingly, civilians since 2009.Picture: AFP Credit: AFP
CNN's Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour and Prime Minister David Cameron on The Andrew Marr Show. Prime Minister David Cameron has not ruled out the possibility that British troops could be used to help rescue the kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls.
On May 11, 2014 David Cameron joined CNN's Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour to support the social media campaignto free the 276 schoolgirls kidnapped in Nigeria. During The Andrew Marr show the Prime Minister said he did not rule out the possibility that British troops could be used to help rescue the girls.Picture: Jeff Overs/BBC Credit: Jeff Overs/BBC
Pope Francis delivers a speech at the Vatican
On May 10, 2014 Pope Francis also backed the campaign on Twitter calling for followers to pray for the girls' releasePicture: AFP Credit: AFP
So did actress Emma Watson from her Twitter account
So did actress Emma Watson from her Twitter accountPicture: @EmWatson Credit: @EmWatson
The cast of The Expendables 3 supports the BringBackOurGirls campaign as they arrive for a screening of their movie in Cannes
The cast of The Expendables 3 supports the BringBackOurGirls campaign as they arrive for a screening of their movie in CannesPicture: SIPA/REX FEATURES Credit: SIPA/REX FEATURES
Ricky Martin supports the BringBackOurGirls capaign as he arrives at the Billboard Music Awards arrivals in Las Vegas
Ricky Martin supports the BringBackOurGirls capaign as he arrives at the Billboard Music Awards arrivals in Las VegasPicture: Startraks Photo/REX FEATURES Credit: Startraks Photo/REX FEATURES
Our prayers are with the missing Nigerian girls and their families. It's time to #BringBackOurGirls.
On May 7, 2014 Michelle Obama added her voice to worldwide calls for the safe return of the girls. The First Lady tweeted: 'Our prayers are with the missing Nigerian girls and their families. It's time to #BringBackOurGirls." The tweet was signed "-mo," indicating that she sent it herself.Picture: @FLOTUS Credit: @FLOTUS
Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai supporting a social media campaign over the abduction of 276 schoolgirls in Nigeria last month, flooding social media with posts using the hashtag: #BringBackOurGirls.
The kidnapping of the Nigerian schoolgirls has ignited a viral social media campaign that has brought renewed attention to Boko Haram's campaign of violence, and protests around the world. Among those who supported the campaign is Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai.Picture: Malala Press Office/EPA Credit: Malala Press Office/EPA
The tumblr page bringbackourgirls.tumblr.com set up by Amnesty International got inundated by support pictures.
The tumblr page bringbackourgirls.tumblr.com set up by Amnesty International has been inundated with supportive photographsPicture: Amnesty International Credit: Amnesty International
The tumblr page set up by Amnesty International got inundated by support pictures. Tese voices include ABC anchor Diane Sawyer, who added ''Stop violence against women and girls NOW! #bringbackourgirls'
These voices include ABC anchor Diane Sawyer, who added 'Stop violence against women and girls NOW! #bringbackourgirls'Picture: Amnesty International Credit: Amnesty International
Speaking at a philanthropy conference in New York, Hillary Clinton forcefully urged the Nigerian government to do everything it can to bring the captive girls home safely and accept help from the United States and other nations.
Speaking at a philanthropy conference in New York, Hillary Clinton forcefully urged the Nigerian government to do everything it can to bring the captive girls home safely and accept help from the United States and other nations. Mrs Clinton had also taken to Twitter on May 4, 2014 to urge their release, saying: 'Access to education is a basic right & an unconscionable reason to target innocent girls. We must stand up to terrorism. #BringBackOurGirls'Picture: Julio Cortez/AP Credit: Julio Cortez/AP
Attending a premiere of her new film 'Maleficent' in London, Angelina Jolie urged staunch punishment for the schoolgirls' kidnapping. 'The important thing though is to understand that this happens because these men think they can get away with this and they can do this,' Jolie told reporters
Attending a premiere of her new film 'Maleficent' in London, Angelina Jolie urged staunch punishment for the kidnapping. 'The important thing though is to understand that this happens because these men think they can get away with this and they can do this,' Jolie told reportersPicture: Anthony Harvey/Getty Images Credit: Anthony Harvey/Getty Images
Alicia Keys posted on her Instagram account: 'I'm so saddened and enraged that these girls are not back where they belong! Safe at home and at school! Safe with their families! Safe to become the incredible leaders and powerful voices they are yet to be. I’ve already signed the petitions … chn.ge/1iDjLsI & wh.gov/lf1ke ….have you? #bringbackourgirls'
Alicia Keys posted on her Instagram account: 'I'm so saddened and enraged that these girls are not back where they belong! Safe at home and at school! Safe with their families! Safe to become the incredible leaders and powerful voices they are yet to be. I’ve already signed the petitions … chn.ge/1iDjLsI & wh.gov/lf1ke ….have you? #bringbackourgirls'Picture: Instagram/aliciakeys Credit: Instagram/aliciakeys
Model Cara posted this image on Instagram saying: 'Everyone help and raise awareness #regram #repost or make your own! Let's @bringbackourgirls #bringbackourgirls'
Model Cara Delevingne posted this image on her Instagram account saying: 'Everyone help and raise awareness #regram #repost or make your own! Let's @bringbackourgirls #bringbackourgirls'Picture: Instagram/Cara Delevingne Credit: Instagram/Cara Delevingne
Ellen DeGeneres ‏@TheEllenShow 9h

It can’t happen soon enough. #BringBackOurGirls pic.twitter.com/Jf97fQUd7N
On Thursday 8 May Ellen DeGeneres tweeted: 'It can’t happen soon enough. #BringBackOurGirls'Picture: @TheEllenShow Credit: @TheEllenShow
Alexa Chung supports the #BringBackOurGirls campaign from her Instagram account
Alexa Chung supports #BringBackOurGirls from her Instagram accountPicture: Instagram/Alexa Chung Credit: Instagram/Alexa Chung
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Actress �A�m�y� P�o�e�h�l�e�r� tweeted: '�@�O�N�E�C�a�m�p�a�i�g�n� �#�b�r�i�n�g�b�a�c�k�o�u�r�g�i�r�l�s'Picture: Twitter/@�s�m�r�t�g�r�l�s Credit: Twitter/@�s�m�r�t�g�r�l�s
American rapper Sean Combs, aka P Diddy, posted on Instagram: 'There's nothing I wouldn't do to protect my own daughters. I stand with the parents of the abducted Nigerian schoolgirls. #BringBackOurGirls www.amnestyusa.org/bringbackourgirls'
American rapper Sean Combs, aka P Diddy, posted on Instagram: 'There's nothing I wouldn't do to protect my own daughters. I stand with the parents of the abducted Nigerian schoolgirls. #BringBackOurGirls www.amnestyusa.org/bringbackourgirls'Picture: Instagram/iamdiddy Credit: Instagram/iamdiddy
On Thursday Leona Lewis tweeted this image with caption '#BringBackOurGirls RT'
On Thursday Leona Lewis tweeted this image with caption '#BringBackOurGirls RT'Picture: @leonalewismusic Credit: @leonalewismusic
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CNN anchor Isha Sesay �I�s�h�a� �S�e�s�a�y� tweeted: '�I�'�m� �i�n� �N�i�g�e�r�i�a� �f�o�r� �i�n�-�d�e�p�t�h� �#�C�N�N� �c�o�v�e�r�a�g�e� �o�f� �m�i�s�s�i�n�g� �s�c�h�o�o�l�g�i�r�l�s�.� �W�e� �a�l�l� �w�a�n�t� �a�n�s�w�e�r�s�!� �#�B�r�i�n�g�B�a�c�k�O�u�r�G�i�r�l�s�'Picture: �@�I�s�h�a�S�e�s�a�y�C�N�N Credit: �@�I�s�h�a�S�e�s�a�y�C�N�N
According to The Guardian the hashtag #Bringbackourgirls was first used on April 23 at the opening ceremony for a UNESCO event honouring the Nigerian city of Port Harcourt when Nigerian lawyer Ibrahim M Abdullahi tweeted the call in a speech by Dr Oby Ezekwesili, Vice President of the World Bank for Africa, to 'Bring Back the Girls!'
According to The Guardian the hashtag #Bringbackourgirls was first used on April 23, 2014 at the opening ceremony for a UNESCO event honouring the Nigerian city of Port Harcourt when Nigerian lawyer Ibrahim M Abdullahi tweeted the call in a speech by Dr Oby Ezekwesili, Vice President of the World Bank for Africa, to "Bring Back the Girls!"Picture: @Abu_Aaid Credit: @Abu_Aaid
Women react during a protest demanding security forces to search harder for the abducted schoolgirls outside Nigeria's parliament in Abuja on April 30
Women call for security forces to search harder for the abducted schoolgirls during a protest outside Nigeria's parliament in Abuja on April 30, 2014Picture: Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters Credit: Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters
Women attend a demonstration calling on government to rescue kidnapped school girls of a government secondary school Chibok, Nigeria, on May 5, 2014
Women attend a demonstration calling on government to rescue kidnapped school girls of a government secondary school Chibok, Nigeria, on May 5, 2014Picture: Sunday Alamba/AP Credit: Sunday Alamba/AP
Protesters march in support of the kidnapped girls in front of the Nigerian Embassy in Washington
Protesters march in support of the kidnapped girls in front of the Nigerian Embassy in WashingtonPicture: Gary Cameron/Reuters Credit: Gary Cameron/Reuters
South Africans protest in solidarity against the abduction during a march to the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg
South Africans protest in solidarity against the abduction during a march to the Nigerian Consulate in JohannesburgPicture: Ben Curtis/AP Credit: Ben Curtis/AP