Chibok: why the girls are still missing

Abducted. Sold. On the brink of freedom. Converted to Islam and married off ... despite the claims and counterclaims the fate of more than 200 girls kidnapped by Boko Haram on April 14 remains as unclear as ever.

On October 17, Nigerian officials announced they had reached a ceasefire deal with Boko Haram that included the girls' release.

Hassan Tukur, principal secretary to President Goodluck Jonathan said the deal followed a month of negotiations with representatives of the group in Chad.


"We have agreed on the release of the Chibok schoolgirls, and we expect to conclude on that at our next meeting with the group's representative next week in Chad," he said.

The announcement revived hopes the girls' would be released and reawakened the #BringBackOurGirls hashtag on Twitter.

But analysts questioned the veracity of the government's claim and Boko Haram remained silent on the ceasefire -- and active in northeastern Nigeria, where it carried out more attacks and abductions.

Finally, on November 1, a video appeared of the group's leader, Abubakar Shekau saying no ceasefire been reached.

As for the girls, Shekau said they had converted to Islam and had been married off, saying with a chuckle in the video: "They are in their marital homes."