…89 girls still missing, 187 rescued, says Borno Govt
…CAN demands intensified effort, decisive action
It has been 10 whole years since the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram invaded the Government Girls’ Secondary School in Chibok, a hitherto sleepy town in the southern part of Borno State, north-east Nigeria, abducting 276 girls.
Yet, 89 of the 276 girls are still missing while 187 have been rescued, according to the Borno State government.
The schoolgirls, aged 16-18, were abducted on the night of 14 April 2014 while in school ahead of their final exams in Physics, sparking global outrage. The girls were mostly Christian.
In the aftermath, the then government of President Goodluck Jonathan faced a lot of backlash from both local and international groups, with #BringBackOurGirls, “a diverse group of citizens advocating for speedy and effective search and rescue of all our abducted girls and for a rapid containment and quelling of insurgency in Nigeria”, mounting intense pressure.
Statistics released by parents of the abducted schoolgirls said 271 students were kidnapped on that unfortunate day but 57 girls escaped shortly in 2014, 103 were released through the intervention of the Federal Government, 20 others were freed by the efforts of the state government, while 92 students are still in captivity.
On Sunday, former abductees, parents and relatives of the still missing girls gathered at the multipurpose hall of the school to pray for their safe return.
At the inter-faith service of prayers, speakers expressed mixed reactions following the turnout of events since 2014, central among the comments being a demand for explanation on why the remaining girls were yet to be rescued while others have regained freedom, Channels News reports.
During the prayer programme, religious leaders and parents could not hold back their tears as various speakers recounted their ordeal and their efforts to get the remaining girls freed.
Some parents of the girls still in captivity were in tears while recounting their experiences.
Seven years after the abduction, the Borno State Government renovated the school, turning it into a non-boarding school. The principal of the school, Mohammed Bukar, said discussions were ongoing to revert the school to the original status of boarding for both sexes.
Earlier on Saturday, the Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Prof Usman Tar, said 89 of the girls may still be in captivity.
“So far, 187 of the 276 abducted Chibok girls have been rescued and reunited with their families; 89 are still missing,” Tar said at a press conference on Saturday to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the ugly event.
Tar, who spoke alongside his Women Affairs counterpart, Zuwaira Gambo, noted that the 187 girls rescued over a period of 10 years include the 57 that escaped on the day of abduction and 108 who were rescued by the security agencies. These 187 rescued girls were enrolled in capacity-building centres and the Second Chance Schools initiative to make them self-reliant, he said.
“Also, a number of the rescued girls have been enrolled for various scholarship programmes,” Tar said.
He urged further patience on the part of parents of the girls that are still missing, promising that the government would do everything possible to get their children reunited with them.
“We really understand the pain and anguish that the families of those still in captivity are going through, and government is committed to rescuing the remaining girls in captivity; we are working very closely with the federal security agencies along this line,” he said
He expressed hope that with the combined efforts of the security forces, intelligence agencies and communities, all the remaining girls in captivity would return home.
“With about 100 still in captivity, I can say that we are still in mourning period, and we still in prayer session in mosques and churches for their rescue.
“This is not a moment of celebration and joy, but a moment for prayers and commemoration. We will celebrate when all have been rescued,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has demanded that the Federal Government intensify effort and take decisive action to ensure the rescue of the remaining Chibok girls.
CAN, in a statement signed by its National Director for Education, Youth and Women Development, Rev Ozumba Nicodemus, highlighted the pain and anguish experienced by the parents of the abducted girls.
“The case of the Chibok girls cannot be swept under the carpet, as it represents a horrific tragedy that has left an indelible mark on the nation’s conscience. The trauma experienced by the 276 abducted girls from Nigeria is unimaginable,” CAN said in the statement.
“The pain and anguish felt by their parents, who have endured sleepless nights filled with hopelessness, are deeply felt by CAN. We cannot remain silent while their children remain in captivity, yearning for freedom and reunion with their families.
“CAN hereby reiterate its unwavering demand for the government to intensify efforts and take decisive action to rescue the remaining children still held hostage. This is not only a matter of national importance but also a test of our commitment to upholding the rights and safety of our citizens, particularly the most vulnerable among us,” it said.
The association implored the international community, humanitarian organisations, and well-meaning individuals to join it in advocating for the release of the girls.
“Together, we can amplify our voices and exert greater pressure on the abductors to bring an end to this prolonged ordeal,” it said.
