EVALUATION OF PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGIES OF #BRINGBACKOURGIRLS CAMPAIGN FOR THE RELEASE OF ABDUCTED GIRLS IN NORTH-EAST NIGERIA

This study critically assesses the contentious issue of the campaign against the abduction of Chibok girls by a civil society organization, known as ttbring back our girls. It attempts to find out if the several public relations strategies such as social media networking, conference, demonstration, sit-in and Tv talk-show used by BBOG campaigners were effective in the campaign to achieve set objective of the movement or not. Survey research was adopted and instruments applied in this study are questionnaire and semi structured interview. These varied instruments were meticulously, randomly and systematically administered in all designated sampled areas. The same skillful steps were taken in their collection and analysis. The statistical outputs of the enquiry were exhaustive enough to give sufficient discoveries on all aspect of the study as shown on numerous tables in chapter four. The data generated from these two research instruments were analyzed using analytical tools suitable for arriving at correct outputs. They included percentage, frequency distribution and Chi-square. Following the analysis these major findings were made: BBOG mobilized Nigerians and foreign nationals through public relations strategies to campaign for the release of Chibok and Dapchi girls. Overall, BBOG indeed made significant impact such as creating of awareness, craving for international supports to the Chibok cause and pressurized Nigerian government to negotiate and partly succeeded in the release of 101 girls from captivity. It therefore, recommends on the basis of these findings that BBOG group should be encouraged to extend its influence to other sectors of the economy even after all the girls are released so that the nation can still benefit from the expertise of her members in social mobilization activities. It concludes that it should also work more closely with the government so that it can make far better impact than currently is the case having firmly established her reputation as an international NGO of note.