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Tag: Chibok abduction

  • Chibok: Aliyu cautions on agreement with US, UK, others

    Chibok: Aliyu cautions on agreement with US, UK, others

    …Pact must not exceed three months – Governor

    The Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has cautioned that agreement with the international community offering assistance to the country in the search for the abducted Chibok schoolgirls should not exceed three months.

    Aliyu, who spoke in Minna on Wednesday, said the apprehension the support has generated necessitated his call on the federal government to be extra careful.

    United States, United Kingdom, France and Belgium have offered to assist in rescuing the abducted girls and provide intelligence support for the country’s armed forces.
    Experts from US are already in the country in the bid to rescue the girls.

    Aliyu said, “it is a normal thing for the country to seek assistance in the fight against insurgency, but people are apprehensive and we must be careful with the agreement and the Memorandum of Understanding to be signed.”

    He regretted that a nation that is seen “as a peace keeper” now needs the assistance of the international community to maintain peace within its territory, saying that Nigerians should rally round the federal government to ensure peace return to all parts of the country.

  • CAN prays for abducted girls

    CAN prays for abducted girls

    The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) will on Friday hold a national prayer and fasting summit for the abducted Chibok girls.

    The summit takes place at the Ecumenical Prayer Center, Abuja, by 11am.

    The National President of the body, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, said the summit has become necessary considering the security challenge posed by Boko Haram sect, especially the latest abduction of over 200 students of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.

    Oritsejafor, in a telephone conversation on Wednesday, noted that the prayer summit is to create a spiritual platform for Christians all over the country to call upon God in unity and faith.

    He directed state chairmen of the organisation to hold similar summit across the nation.

    The CAN helmsman said: “More than ever before, Nigeria needs prayer at this time. Many pressure groups have staged protests to demand for the return of our abducted daughters but beyond this, we need to pray fervently because as the Bible says, ‘we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers.

    “Our prayer is to seek divine intervention for the safe return of our girls and for God to heal our land- Nigeria.”

    He added that the prayer is for all church leaders and the five blocks that constitute the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

    Meanwhile, the states chairmen have also been directed to hold similar prayer and fasting summit in all the states of the federation.

     

  • Chibok: US reaffirms commitment to rescue operation

    The United States has stressed its commitment to the ongoing efforts to rescue the over 200 school girls abducted by the Boko Haram sect.

    According to a US senior official, a key focus of the U.S-Nigerian bilateral relationship is combating violent extremist groups and building law enforcement capacity while protecting civilians and strengthening respect for human rights.

    The group which has claimed responsibility for the abduction of the young women and continues to pose a significant threat to regional peace and security, was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US in November last year.

    The US Under Secretary of state for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, Sarah Sewall, while speaking during her visit to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Aminu Wali, emphasized the importance of a comprehensive approach to combating violent extremism, building law enforcement capability, protecting civilians, and respecting human rights.

    She underscored her country’s commitment to supporting the Nigerian government’s efforts to find the schoolgirls who were kidnapped on April 14 in Chibok, Borno State and return them to their families.

    Amb. Wali in his reaction noted the strong bond between Nigeria and the US.

    He, however, said it was unfortunate that it took the abduction of the secondary schoolgirls to attract support from the international community in the fight against terrorism.

  • Boko Haram video: FG cautions against religious crises

    Boko Haram video: FG cautions against religious crises

    Following the release of a Boko Haram video showing the abducted school girls and the revelation by the sect leader, Abubakar Shekau that all the girls have converted to Islam, the Federal Government on Tuesday urged religious leaders to caution their followers against involving in religious crises.

    Also, the Nigerian Police Force Headquarters has issued an international red alert for arrest of fleeing Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche.

    The Christian Association of Nigeria had said in a statement issued in Kaduna on Monday that forceful conversion of the girls to Islam was a clear indication that the sect was waging war against Christianity.

    The National secretary of CAN, Rev Musa Asake, said the conversion was unacceptable and called on the government and the international community to act fast to save the situation.

    He said the reported forceful conversion of the girls was a confirmation that the sect has a religious agenda, adding that it was now clear that they are waging war against Christians and Christianity in the country.

    But the Director General of the National Orientation Agency, Mike Omeri, who made the government’s position known on the issue at the National Briefing Centre, said the government will do everything possible to rescue the girls alive despite threats by the group.

    “The Federal Government strongly appeals to religious leaders especially the Christian Association of Nigerian and the Jamaatul Nasril Islam to restrain their members from being misled by unscrupulous persons into reducing the current situation into religious conflicts.

    “Government is still monitoring issues and will do everything possible to rescue the girls alive.

    “The Government wishes to commend all Nigerians for the support and understanding shown since the government began its operations to restore peace and normalcy in some parts of the country,” Omeri stated.

     

  • Chibok: Senate opposes negotiation with Boko Haram

    Chibok: Senate opposes negotiation with Boko Haram

    Senate President, David Mark, on Tuesday insisted that the Federal Government would not negotiate with the Boko Haram insurgents for release of the over 200 school girls abducted in Chibok, Borno State on April 14.

    The leader of the sect, Abubakar Shekau, had in a video message released on Monday and showing the abducted girls for the first time since their abduction, vowed that the girls would only be released if government agrees to swap them for detained members of the group in various cells across the country.

    Shekau had said: “These are the girls abducted by our fighters and whose release the Nigerian government has been calling for. We won’t release them to you and you can’t take them away from us no matter how you try.

    “We would only release them if you, the government release our brothers you have arrested and detained for four to five years now.”

    Mark while reacting to Shekau’s demands in Beijing, China, told reporters that government would never negotiate with the terrorists.

    Mark insisted that negotiating with terrorists as proposed by Shekau over the abducted girls, would not help the nation but would rather give the insurgents room to wreck more havoc on both the country and its people without fulfilling the terms of agreement that may have been reached with them.

    Mark said: “Nigeria will not negotiate with terrorists under any circumstance because you don’t negotiate with criminals which the Boko Haram insurgents are.

    “We are going to bring the girls back safe and sound for their parents without any negotiation with Boko Haram as every effort towards that which cannot be disclosed in the public, is being made to rescue the girls.”

     

  • Mother identifies daughter on Boko Haram video

    Mother identifies daughter on Boko Haram video

    A mother of one of 200 abducted Nigerian schoolgirls has identified her daughter on a video released by the Boko Haram sect that shows the girls in captivity, a school leader told Reuters by telephone on Tuesday.

    One mother watched the video on television on Monday evening and spotted her daughter among dozens of girls sitting on the ground and wearing veils, said Dumoma Mpur, chairman of the parent teachers association at Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State.

  • Chibok: We are still reviewing video content – FG

    Chibok: We are still reviewing video content – FG

     Shekau is dead, Ogar insists

    The Federal Government on Monday said it is still reviewing the content of the video released by the Boko Haram sect on Monday.

    At a briefing in Abuja on the released video, the Director -General of the National Orientation Agency, Mike Omeri, ruled out the option of negotiation with the sect for now.

    He debunked the rumours being peddled in some parts of the media that the federal government has started negotiation with the sect.

    Omeri, who spoke alongside heads of various security agencies said the government is considering all options to rescue the girls and unite them with their parents.

    The DG said the issue of negotiation with the sect is not being considered for now.

    “All options are on the table and open, we are interacting with the military and intelligent experts who are already on surveillance in the North Eastern part of the country. We will adopt all available options to get the girls out, but we will not negotiate with the sect.

    While speaking on countries that have so far joined in the rescue mission, Omeri said more countries are set to offer help to Nigeria.

    “The United States and the United Kingdom have already sent in their security personnel but we will not hesitate to seek help from other countries if there is need for such,” he stated.
    On the operational measures, Omeri said the government will not reveal the operational measures as it will amount to giving information to the enemy.

    While answering questions from journalists who requested to know if truly Abubakar Shekau is dead or alive, the Spokesperson of the State Security Service, SSS, Marilyn Ogar, said, ” Boko Haram has become a franchise, anybody can assume and lay claim to any name what I know is that the original Abubakar Shekau is dead. The person claiming to be the national leader now is not the original Abubakar Shekau.”

    “If security sources tell you that somebody is dead, you don’t have to come out and doubt that, “she added.

     

  • Chibok: FG rejects Boko Haram’s proposal

    Chibok: FG rejects Boko Haram’s proposal

    The Federal Government has rejected conditions set out by Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau for the release of the over 200 schoolgirls held hostage by the sect.

    Shekau had said in a video released on Monday that he would release the abducted schoolgirls in exchange for some of his members currently in custody.

    He said, “We will never release them (the girls) until after you release our brethren.”

    The Boko Haram leader, who has made prisoner exchange demands before, said that some of the teenagers had converted from Christianity to Islam.

    The Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, when asked by AFP on Monday if government would reject Shekau’s olive branch, he said: “Of course.”“The issue in question is not about Boko Haram… giving conditions.”

     

  • Chibok abduction, a defining period for Nigeria – Fashola

    Chibok abduction, a defining period for Nigeria – Fashola

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, on Monday described the abduction of 276 schoolgirls at Chibok in Borno State, by the Boko Haram sect as a dark experience in the life of the country.

    He, however, expressed optimism that the development could give birth to a new dawn for the country.

    Fashola spoke to several groups of women, men and youths who took to streets of Lagos to continue their demand for the release of the girls.

    Receiving the protesters at the State House, Alausa, Ikeja, the governor commended them for standing in solidarity with the girls and their parents, but reminded them that information on the efforts to secure their release may not be made public.

    “Sometimes there may be a sense of safety in managing more information more closely as the rescue operation goes on in order not to compromise safety of the people we are seeking to rescue.

    “This for me is general global practice. But I don’t know what the situation is currently is. As we ask for information, we must have that at the back of our minds.

    “I should just add is that Chibok incident is a very dark experience for our nation. It is a difficult time for our nation but it may yet be our most defining moment. It will be defining if we can find children; it will be defining, if after that happens, we can keep this sense of brotherhood and sisterhood alive. Many nations have turned for greatness when they are faced with dark time like this.

    “The sense of brotherhood, the sense of commitment where ethnicity and religion do not matter anymore is a sense that we should go forward with life after Chibok. That is why I said it may yet be our most defining moment,” Fashola said.

    Another group, Women Arise Initiative, led scores of women to mount pressure on government to do more to secure the release of the girls.

    Music artiste, Femi Kuti, who joined the protest, said there was the need to put pressure on the Federal Government to get the girls released, saying it was sad that it took government about three weeks to come to term that 234 girls had been kidnapped.

  • Michelle Obama condemns Chibok abduction

    Michelle Obama condemns Chibok abduction

    United States First Lady, Michelle Obama, has said the mass kidnap of Nigerian schoolgirls is part of a wider pattern of threats and intimidation facing girls pursuing their education around the world.

    The First Lady said she and her husband – President Barack Obama were “outraged and heartbroken” over the abduction on April 14 of more than 200 girls from their school.

    The BBC reports that she spoke instead of her husband at the weekly presidential address.

    The Boko Haram sect has claimed the abductions.

    Mrs. Obama, who spoke ahead of Mother’s Day in the US on Sunday, said the girls reminded her and her husband of their own daughters.

    “What happened in Nigeria was not an isolated incident. It’s a story we see every day as girls around the world risk their lives to pursue their ambitions,” she said.

    She cited the Pakistani schoolgirl and campaigner Malala Yousafzai, who was shot and wounded by the Taliban for speaking out for girls’ education.

    “The courage and hope embodied by Malala and girls like her around the world should serve as a call to action,” Mrs. Obama said.

    The BBC says it is unusual for a US first lady to make outspoken foreign policy remarks, but Mrs. Obama has campaigned for the girls’ release.

    She often appeared alongside her husband during the weekly address, which is broadcast on radio with a video version available online.