Ex-Ghana president Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings has pleaded with the world not to forget the 200 girls abducted by Boko Haram in Nigeria.

A one year anniversary was held on Tuesday to re-enforce the call for their return. In a statement to the media, Rawlings said he hopes the abducted girls are safe.

“If the girls are not found alive, the culprits will end up being hunted down and will pay an equally high price. The world will not and must not abandon these girls,” the statement said.

He added: “There is no doubt that most of the girls would have been given away into servitude, slavery or marriage but let us hope that all such people who may have received anyone of these captured girls is keeping her safe and alive with her dignity intact.

“Let us hope the custodians will not put themselves in the position of being hunted down for any ill treatment of these girls. If they have had to accept them out of the fear of Boko Haram elements, their treatment of the girls should be humane.”

The girls, popularly referred to as the Chibok girls because they belonged to the Government Girls Secondary School of Chibok in Borno state, Nigeria were abducted on April 14 last year.