President Muhammadu Buhari has
assured parents of the school girls, who were kidnapped from Government
Secondary School in Chibok, Borno state, that his administration is
intensifying efforts to secure their release five years after.
April 14, 2019 will mark the
fifth year, after over a 100 girls were taken away by suspected Boko Haram
insurgents.
In a statement signed by Buhari’s
Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the president revealed that “interlocutors have reported encouraging
progress so far”.
FULL STATEMENT:
President Muhammadu Buhari would
like to remind the parents of the school girls of Government Secondary School,
Chibok, Borno State that he has still not forgotten their daughters who were
kidnapped from their dormitory five years ago (April 14, 2014).
He promised the parents when he
met them, at the beginning of his first term as president, that he would bring
their daughters home.
He is aware that this promise he
made is the main reason the people of Chibok voted overwhelmingly for him in
the February elections, and although his government has so far succeeded in
bringing back 107 of the girls, the President will not rest until the remaining
are reunited with their families.
President Buhari assures the
parents that his administration is still on the matter.
Diverse efforts are being
intensified to secure the release of the Chibok Girls, along with all hostages
in Boko Haram captivity, including Leah Sharibu who was kidnapped from her
school, Science Secondary School, Dapchi, Yobe State, on February 19, 2018.
On Leah Sharibu’s abduction, the
interlocutors have reported encouraging progress so far.
The report reaching us says her
return to her family has unfortunately been hindered by the fear of the
militants.
They worry that heavy military
presence in areas where they previously moved about freely could affect their
safety after they return her to the government.
At the same time, the military
cannot jeopardise the security of the entire north-eastern region by halting
their operations to accommodate Boko Haram’s fears.
Leah Sharibu will be reunited
with her family as soon as any conclusions are reached on a number of options
being considered for her safe transportation.
The success of the Nigerian
military in subduing Boko Haram is evidenced by the large numbers of militants
who have surrendered recently, especially in neighbouring Cameroon and Niger.
A similar mass surrender of
militants is expected to happen soon in Nigeria.
While Nigerian military operations
are ongoing, the government is also engaging with the militants but the talks
have been affected by the factionalisation of Boko Haram – with one group
adopting a hard line attitude and intensifying attacks on Nigeria, Cameroon and
Chad, and another group engaging with the government for peaceful resolution.
President Buhari also uses this
opportunity of the commemoration of the Chibok tragedy to commend the girls,
now women, who have triumphed over it all.
He sends special greetings to the
106 girls sponsored by the Nigerian government to continue their studies at the
American University of Nigeria, Yola.
He encourages them to stay
focused on becoming women who will inspire girls in Nigeria and around the
world to triumph over the daily battles they face in a world that is often
unfair to the girl-child.
President Buhari also extends his
best wishes to Chibok girls in other schools in Nigeria and around the world.
He sends special congratulations
to Kauna Yaga Bitrus, who has excelled beyond expectations in her college in
Maine, USA, and who is soon to receive a special ‘Against All Odds Award’ from
her school.
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