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6 Years After the Chibok Girls’ Kidnap, Buhari says Efforts are still Ongoing to Secure their Release
Life has not remained the same for the Chibok community, which still feels haunted by the April 14, 2014 kidnappings. The town attracted international attention after Boko Haram fighters forcibly kidnapped at least 276 girls from the government secondary girls school in Chibok town, prompting global outrage.
In the first frantic minutes of their ordeal, 57 girls managed to jump from the trucks in which they were transported and escaped. The remaining 219 were taken away by the terrorists. A social media campaign with the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls went viral and celebrities, leaders, and activists across the world joined the campaign to free the kidnapped schoolgirls.
Since then, a total of 164 students have returned through various means including escapes, rescues, prisoner swaps, and ransom negotiations. Six years after the Boko Haram attack, more than 112 girls are still missing.
In a statement directed at the Chibok community and the association of the parents of the abducted girls from Chibok, Buhari said he’s working hard to make sure the girls return alive. He noted that a fracture in the leadership of the terrorist group has made negotiations for the girls’ return a difficult task.
He said military operations against the group have been tempered by the will to make sure the girls are returned unharmed. The president assured that the nation’s security and intelligence community is making a lot of effort using backroom channels to get the girls back to their families.
President Muhammadu Buhari extends his good wishes to the people of Chibok, Borno State, as they hold prayers and thanksgiving services to mark the sixth anniversary of the kidnapping of their daughters by Boko Haram terrorist group.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) April 13, 2020
President Buhari regrets that the current #Covid-19 pandemic, with restrictions on movement, makes it impossible for any government delegation to be with them during the event.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) April 13, 2020
He, however, assures the people of #Chibok that he is still mindful of their welfare and their concerns, especially regarding our daughters who are still missing.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) April 13, 2020
On the specific issue of the freedom for the remaining girls held by the terrorists, the President notes the ongoing efforts on two fronts:
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) April 13, 2020
The armed forces of the country who are on general operations in the entire region continue in their hope that they would encounter these girls, as they did thousands of other hostages, rescue and bring them back home.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) April 13, 2020
The nation’s security and intelligence community, in whom a lot of hope, is reposed in rescuing the abducted girls is making a lot of efforts using backroom channels to get them back to their families.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) April 13, 2020
These are processes, formal and informal that involves different groups with links to the terrorists, and are very tedious and uneasy as is seen in different parts of the world.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) April 13, 2020
“The issue of the Chibok girls is not a forgotten issue. We cannot go to sleep over this matter. We are optimistic that ongoing efforts will yield something positive,” President Buhari assured.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) April 13, 2020
Unfortunately, an ongoing crisis within the Boko Haram leadership, which has led to factions and breakaway groups, brought a number of unforeseen challenges to the process of negotiating with the militants for the young women’s release.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) April 13, 2020
In the past few years, our armed forces have recorded huge successes in the battle against Boko Haram, but they have also been careful to ensure that as few civilian lives as possible were lost in the process. We would rather the young women still in captivity were freed alive.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) April 13, 2020
President Buhari also reflected on the progress being made by the freed ‘Chibok girls’, who were sponsored by his administration to study at the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola, saying that he is proud of what they are doing.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) April 13, 2020
He encourages them to remain focused on their studies and on this unique opportunity that has been given to them by God, following their horrific time in captivity.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) April 13, 2020
Pres. Buhari also commends Yakubu Nkeki, Lawan Zannah & Yana Galang, the executive officials of the Association of the Parents of the Abducted Girls from Chibok, on their steadfast efforts to advocate for the welfare of the parents, the freed women, & those still in captivity.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) April 13, 2020
