Subcommittee on African Affairs

WATch here

Witnesses:

Panel One

The Honorable Robert P. Jackson
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Department of State
Washington, DC

The Honorable Earl Gast
Principal Director for African Affairs, Department of Defense
Washington, DC

Ms. Alice Friend
Principal Director for African Affairs, Department of Defense
Washington, DC

Panel Two

Ms. Lantana Abdullah
Project Manager, Search for Common Ground
Jos, Nigeria

As special guest and the only non-governmental expert to testify, Lantana Abdullahi’s comments will include:

 – Her perspectives about the kidnapping of the girls as a Nigerian woman and mother

– The fact that the tragedy of the kidnappings can become an opportunity to unite Nigerians and international partners to solve the long-running crisis in northeastern Nigeria

– What it will take to help the girls and their communities to recover (i.e. trauma healing).

Lantana Abdullahi is a Nigerian peace-builder, trainer, mediator and women’s activist who has worked with Search for Common Ground as a Project Manager in northern Nigeria since 2010. Lantana’s SFCG portfolio includes interfaith violence prevention and community reconciliation programs in Plateau State and working to bring together civil society groups, with the government and security forces to document and prevent human rights abuses in the North-Central and North-East regions. SFCG has worked extensively with Christian and Muslim teen-age girls, to raise their voices, reduce the risk of violence, and inspire the next generation of Nigerian leadership.

In response to the Chibok abductions, Lantana’s team has been working with Muslim and Christian teen-age girls to speak out and take action in favor of peace through a series of popular radio programs. Clips of these programs are available by request.

Search for Common Ground has been in Nigeria for over 10 years, working with media, community leaders, civil society, youth and women to prevent violence in the Niger Delta, the Middle Belt and the Northeast of the country, as well as among Nigerian refugees in Niger. SFCG works extensively with youth in Nigeria and across Africa to help reduce the risk of violence.