Nigerian protesters are demanding the government and military to take more action in rescuing the nearly 200 schoolgirls that were kidnapped by Boko Haram Islamists in April.

On Thursday, hundreds of demonstrators marched on parliament in the capital Abuja in "a million-woman march" to raise awareness about the missing girls. The march was also promoted on Twitter under the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls. Many of the marchers carried placards that read "Find Our Daughters."

On April 14, militants seized about 230 girls in the middle of the night at a high school in the Chibok area of northeastern Borno, a hotbed for Islamist group Boko Haram, reports The Guardian.

"The government has to understand that we are not going to allow this silence to continue," said protest organizer Hadiza Bala Usman.

"A total of 230 parents registered the names of their daughters who were missing on the day of the kidnap," said Asabe Kwambura, principal of the Government Girls Secondary School, according to CNN. "From my records, 43 girls have so far escaped on their own from their kidnappers. We still have 187 girls missing."

There are still roughly 200 girls that are missing, although the authorities and parents report different numbers. Parents say the girls are being sold into marriage to Boko Haram militants for $12 each, while human rights groups say they were kidnapped to perform chores and sexual services.

Now, Nigerians have taken to the streets to criticize the government's handling of the rescue efforts.

In response, Borno state Education Commissioner Musa inuwa Kubo said the government and the military are doing all they can to free the victims.

"This is a delicate situation that requires careful handling," Kubo said. "When you have heavily armed men holding close to 200 girls hostage, you have to be very careful in your approach so as not to risk the safety of these girls you want to rescue."

He added that officials are withholding some information for safety reasons.

"It is a security issue and we just can't be divulging all the efforts we are making to get these girls freed," the education commissioner said.

The Boko Haram group, whose name translates to "Western education is a sin" in the local language, opposes the education of women. Instead, their version of Sharia law teaches that women should stay home raising children and waiting on their husbands.