Yesterday marked the 500 long sorrowful days of the abduction of over two hundred school girls. They were kidnapped from their hostels in Chibok, a small town in Borno—one of the troubled states in Northeast Nigeria.

Since 2009, the northeastern states of Borno, Bauchi and Yobe Gombe have been the primary target of the virile insurgent group, Boko Haram—even though there have been multiple attacks in a few other northern states. Within the past years, it’s estimated that over 13,000 people may have been killed; 1.5 million people displaced and one thousand 1000 kidnapped, mostly women and children.

Where are these girls?

It’s very sad and heartbreaking that scores of young, promising girls were taken away, undoubtedly under duress, from their schools and parents and society—only to be kept in an unknown deadly place: a thick forest, desert, dilapidated building(s) or underground? More pathetic and embarrassing is the fact that the Jonathan-led federal government—whose primary responsibility was to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians—did not handle the issue well.

And that did cost him a re-election bid in the March 2015 presidential election. But for the advocacy group, Bring Back Our Girls Movement which was started by Obiageli Ezekwesili, a former Minister of Education of Nigeria, the Chibok girls would have been forgotten perhaps. The group has been having prominent sit-ins, peaceful protests and social media campaigns to put pressure on the Nigerian government and call for the support of the international community so as to step up efforts to rescue the missing girls. So far, many national and international activists, including Mrs Michelle Obama have lent their voices to the cause.

Whether all the girls are still alive or not, that is yet to be known; they have been under unknown circumstances in the custody of these terrorists for nearly five hundred straight days. It’s been widely speculated by analysts that some of the girls may have been used for the incessant suicide bombings that have been carried out in the last few months. It’s now common to see teenage girls blowing themselves up in Borno and Yobe states especially.

Before and after the election, Mr Buhari had vowed to do everything within his capacity to ensure that these girls are rescued alive and then reunited with their parents and relatives. Though he has put the fight against insurgency at the top of his agenda since he was sworn in on May 29, it’s still quite worrisome that there is not yet any information regarding the whereabouts of the girls despite the heavy onslaught on members of Boko Haram by the Nigerian Army in the past days.

The Nigerian president and his US counterpart, Barack Obama also held talks on the urgent need to defeat Boko Haram during his four-day visit to the United States last month. Mr Buhari has also met with members of the Bring Back Our Girls group as well as some parents of the Chibok girls who have no doubt been depressed and torn apart by this protracted ugly incident. It’s quite appreciable that several efforts are being made by this administration to rescue them, but they need to do more.

Implications for the Buhari-led Administration

Unless they are rescued, the essence of governance will remain defeated in Nigeria. It will continue to be a dent on the image of the country. And it’s very clear that this is a litmus test for the Buhari-led federal government; if these girls are not rescued, the current administration will be scored low—no matter what its ‘achievements’ look like. The international community, especially the USA has the opportunity now than ever to write history by doing more– mainly by offering timely military assistance—in order to ensure that the girls are eventually brought back home.

Even though the United Nations Secretary General, Mr Ban Ki-moon, assured the Bring Back Our Girls group—during his recent two-day visit to Nigeria—that more efforts will be put in place by the organization to rescue the missing girls, there are still huge doubts concerning the safety of these girls.

It will be difficult to carry on as a nation without the return of the girls who are potential wives and mothers and leaders that could help advance the progress of Africa’s most populous nation and largest economy. The kidnap of the Chibok girls is a national injury that would, almost certainly, not heal unless they are found alive, rescued, taken back home and rehabilitated to live their life-long dreams. 500 days is too long a time to part ways with 273 legends who only desired to live fuller lives by going to school in an education-deficient region. May we have them back as soon as possible.

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Kofoworola Ayodeji is a writer and transformational speaker that’s passionately involved in nation-building. Follow him on twitter @Generalkopho and facebook: www.facebook.com/Kofoworolaak

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