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Tag: Chibok girls

  • #BBOG identifies speaker in Chibok girls new video

    Members of the #BringBackOurGirls (#BBOG) advocacy have identified the Chibok girl, who spoke on behalf of her friends in the new Boko Haram video as Dorcas Yakubu.

    Dorcas who was abducted over two years ago with her school mates by Boko Haram was identified by a member of #BBOG and spokesperson of the Kibaku Area Development Association (KADA) Dr. Allen Manaseh, in the presence of her parents in Abuja.

    #BBOG in a press statement said that the recognition of several of the girls leaves no room for doubt that they are the Chibok girls.

    “After listening to the call of Dorcas Yakubu, we demand an immediate, transparent, action and results-oriented response plan by the Government,” former Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili and Aisha Yesufu, #BBOG stated in a press statement.

    The group also stated, “Today, 853 days since the abduction of our #ChibokGirls, we woke up to a video on the state of our girls. We are left with mixed feelings of grief and strengthened hope as the chilling words continue to sink in.

    “Our parents please exercise patience. We are suffering here. There is no kind of suffering we haven’t seen. Our sisters are injured, some have wounds on their heads and bodies.

    “Tell the government to give them their people so we can also come to be with you. We are all children and we don’t know what to do. The suffering is too much, please endeavour as we also have exercised patience.

    “There is nothing you, or we, can do about this but to get their people back to them, so we can go home. Exercise patience as we also have endured.”

    “This is a direct translation of the Kibaku part of the message. The interpreter, Dr. Allen Manaseh, who is the Spokesman of the Kibaku Area Development Association (KADA) in Abuja, identified the speaker as Dorcas Yakubu, whose parents Esther and Yakubu live in the Abuja area and are both present here with us. In addition, the recognition of several of the girls leaves no room for doubt that these are our girls.

    “Since we last met with the President in January, we have continued to call on him to be responsive to the needs of our Chibok parents, our movement, and the Global Community for timely updates on the rescue operation. In the aftermath of an earlier video, we repeatedly called for the Government to treat the information as the missing piece of “credible intelligence” it was seeking. Not even the return of Amina Ali, a #ChibokGirl, inspired the sort of response we demanded.

    “After listening to the call of Dorcas Yakubu, we demand an immediate, transparent, action and results-oriented response plan by the Government. We state categorically that the excuse of a split within the terrorists’ ranks or a period of validation of the authenticity of their claims will not suffice this time. We shall press these demands with a march to the Villa in the next few days.

    “Nothing short of the Nigerian state being in contact with the parents, confirming identities of our girls, providing psychosocial support where necessary, and most importantly, articulating an action plan will be acceptable.

    “Today, 28 months since the abduction, we call on the Governments of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, China, Australia, Israel, agencies like the United Nations and African Union, and all who previously expressed intentions to support the rescue efforts, to reengage and adopt a strategic rescue position. As global citizens, this is the least our #ChibokGirls deserve.

    “We appeal to all citizens empathetic to the cause of our girls to hold them and their parents in prayers, and commit to joining our march to the Villa in the coming week. Our government, and the World, cannot continue to fail these innocent young women whose only crime is their decision to be educated. If we do, we would have failed to defend our civilization and shared humanity.”

  • Chibok girls: Army declares citizen journalist, two others wanted

    Hours after Boko Haram released a fresh video purportedly showing the abducted Chibok girls, the Nigerian Army has declared three persons wanted.
    The wanted persons are: Ahmed Salkida ( Ambassador), Ahmed U Bolori and Aisha Wakil.

    In a statement made available to our correspondent in Abuja, the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman, said the wanted persons knows the whereabouts of Boko Haram and the Chibok girls.

    Findings by The Nation revealed that Salkida is a citizen journalist who has intimate knowledge about Boko Haram. Salkida who operates a twitter handle @ContactSalkida and blogs at www.salkida.com had in the early hours of Sunday posted a video from the dreaded terrorist group.
    Ahmed said on his twitter handle that the video was sent exclusively to him before the insurgents uploaded it on Youtube. Sakilda last tweet was about two hours before he was declared wanted by the Army.
    Ahmed Bolori Mr. Bolori is known as coordinator of the Fa’ash Foundation and the Partnership Against Violent Extremism (Pave).
    Ms. Wakil’s name has been consistent in a list by Boko Haram as one of the negotiators for the group.
    In the new video, Boko Haram also insisted that the government should negotiate with those it has listed in the past including Wakil. She was a member of the Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the northern part of the country during President Jonathan’s administration.
    Usman said: “Two recent incidents have pointed to the fact that, there are three individuals namely; Ahmed Salkida, (Ambassador) Ahmed U. Bolori and Aisha Wakil that have information on the conditions and the exact location of these girls.
    “Therefore, the Nigerian Army hereby declares the two gentlemen and the lady wanted for interrogation. We are relying on the relevant laws of the land and in particular the Terrorism Prevention Act 2011 (as amended) where Nigerians could be punished for failure to disclose information about terrorists or terrorist’s activities. This becomes necessary as a result of their link with the last two videos released by Boko Haram Terrorists and other findings of our preliminary investigations.
    “There is no doubt that these individuals have links with Boko Haram Terrorists and have contacts with them. They must therefore come forward and tell us where the group is keeping the Chibok Girls and other abducted persons to enable us rescue them.
    “We are therefore calling on all Nigerians and peace loving people to give us useful information on their whereabouts. We are also liaising with other security agencies for their arrest if they failed to turn up,” he said.

  • How to find Chibok girls, by presidential panel

    How to find Chibok girls, by presidential panel

    The Presidential Fact-Finding Committee on the abducted female students of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State has asked the Federal Government to take advantage of foreign support, backed with hi-tech equipment, to locate the abducted girls and rescue them.

    It called for the beefing up of arms and ammunition of the military as well as the strengthening of security agencies in the theatre of operation.

    The committee made the recommendations in its 50-page report submitted to the government, according to Premium Times.

    The 27-member panel chaired by Ibrahim Sabo, a retired brigadier general, was inaugurated by former President Goodluck Jonathan on May 6, 2014, to, among other things, find out the circumstances leading to the abduction of the 276 female students of the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State on April 14, 2014 by Boko Haram terrorists.

    The establishment of the committee followed claims and counterclaims about the circumstances and the actual number of students abducted by the terrorists.

    The panel submitted its report to then President Jonathan, but its details were never made public.

    In the report, the committee, which sat for five weeks, said altogether 276 students out of the 395 female students that registered for the WAEC examination were abducted by the terrorists.

    It further stated that while 57 of the students escaped from the insurgents after the abduction, the remaining 219 were unaccounted for.

    It said five of the 57 students that escaped were found in the bushes near Damboa.

    It said at the time the girls were abducted, the school was relying on extant security arrangement and had only two guards while there was no electricity because its only generator had broken down.

    The panel said intelligence available to it at the time it was submitting its report to government showed that the girls were in different camps in and around Sambisa Forest, which covers an area of 60,000 square kilometres with scrubby semi desert tangle of low trees and bushes in the corner of the Northeast zone.

    “The abducted girls have been split into groups under the watch of separate syndicates as confirmed from various sightings of the insurgents at different locations,” it said.

    “Another batch of girls is believed to have been transported by canoe to an Island around the Lake Chad.

    “Insurgent attacks on communities and markets situated in Hyuum, Askira Uba LGA, Klakaisa and Sha’awa villages of Damboa LGA in search of food and other supplies, indicate that some of the girls could be within the area.”

    The committee suggested two ways of rescuing the girls, namely negotiation and military operation.

    It explained that the negotiation initiative would require dialogue with hostage-takers through trusted intermediaries and conflict mediators. The military option would involve the deployment of counter-terrorism and/or hostage rescue team, which would undertake a surgical strike storming the locations where the hostages are held.

    It listed the advantages and disadvantages of the two options.

    The panel told the government that in determining which option to adopt, the advantages and disadvantages of each approach should be carefully examined in the context of the hostage crisis and new developments.

    “The negotiation initiative is inclusive while the military option is exclusive to the team that would be involved in the rescue operation,” the Committee said.

    Citing the successful release of the 52 U.S. officials, who were held hostages for 444 days at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran from 1979 to 1981, the committee listed the advantages of the negotiation approach to include a greater likelihood of rescuing the girls alive and safe from harm and the provision of an opening to broader discussions and understanding that would eventually lead to a peace agreement.

    On the other hand, the committee said by adopting the military option, Nigeria would have, among others, complied with the internationally accepted norms of non-negotiation with terrorists; boost morale within the country and among the security agencies; and send a strong message to the insurgents that the government was not weak.

    It, however, noted that the constraints of the option were insufficient number of mobilised troops; inadequate combat equipment (power, mobility and communication); porous/unmanned borders with Cameroun, Chad and Niger Republics, which provide the insurgents the advantage of safe haven, access to mercenaries and weapons; and time constraints in the procurement process for combat equipment.

    Stating that most of the people it interacted with during its fact-finding work did not consider the military option advisable “in order to protect the abducted girls,” the committee said should the government decide to adopt the approach, a thorough assessment of the strength and capability of the military and the Boko Haram insurgents must be undertaken.

    It suggested that the assessment of the military should be in the areas of personnel, equipment, the terrain, logistics and state of preparedness of the rescue team at the conflict site and in geographical location for possible reinforcement.

    For the insurgents, it said, “there should be an appreciation of their supply route, personnel, fire power, camouflage tactics and guerrilla war strategy”.

    The committee said from its findings the insurgents are armed with sophisticated military hardware such as Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), Anti-Aircraft (AA) guns, Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs), among other weapons.

    It said: “The sophistication of their equipment has emboldened the insurgents leading to an increase in the frequency and intensity of their attacks. The Nigerian military and other security agencies should be provided with additional and superior weapons to counter the insurgents.”

    The committee also recommended that the military should review its rules of engagement to appropriately counter the insurgents.

    It asked the government to also co-opt the Youth Volunteer Group, otherwise known as Civilian JTF and the Shuwa tribe into the search and rescue of the Chibok girls.

  • Chibok girls: Don’t give up on government

    Chibok girls: Don’t give up on government

    The Presidency has appealed to the officials and members of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) campaign group not to waver in their support for the government in the war against terrorism and ongoing effort to free captives of the Boko Haram terrorist group.

    The BringBackOurGirls group, in a recent statement, claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari has “broken all promises” made to the group about rescuing the missing Chibok girls and that the government had been “lackadaisical” in the rescue mission.

    But a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said the past one year of the administration has seen the Nigerian military stepped up bombardment of a stronghold of the terrorist group, the Sambisa Forest, leading to the capture of hundreds of insurgents.

    The statement noted that Army records showed the rescue of more than 15,000 captives, mostly women and children, from February till date.

    The statement reads: “In addition, dozens of communities that were previously under the control of the terrorists have been liberated, allowing thousands of previously displaced persons return home and resume their normal lives. Thousands of these women and children have also been reunited with their families.

    “These people may not be prominent names and their disappearance may not have generated any media attention and campaign. However, their liberation is just as important as that of every other missing person, and a testament to the devotion of our military men, who daily risk life and limb in the effort to bring back every kidnapped person.

    “President Buhari will never make bogus promises or play to the gallery. It is misleading of anyone to preach that the Chibok girls are within an easy grasp. If the military knew where they are held, they will bring them home today.

    “The presidency is open to renew cooperation with the BBOG group, international bodies, religious groups, social workers, and others who are assisting to ensure that those who have so far been rescued get the needed support to make a full recovery and be reintegrated fully into society.”

    The government, it said, will continue to exert all its powers to ensure that every Nigerian is safe from the brutality of terrorists and terrorism.

  • Presidency to BBOG: Don’t give up on Chibok girls, others

    Presidency to BBOG: Don’t give up on Chibok girls, others

    The Presidency on Monday appealed to officials and members of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) campaign group not to waver in their support for the government in the war against terrorism and in the ongoing efforts to free the Chibok girls and other Nigerian citizens taken captive by the Boko Haram sect.

    The BBOG had in a recent statement claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari has “broken all promises” made to the group about rescuing the missing Chibok girls and that the government had been “lackadaisical” in the rescue mission.

    But a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said the past one year of the administration has seen the Nigerian military stepped up bombardment of a stronghold of the Boko Haram sect, the Sambisa Forest,  leading to the capture of hundreds of insurgents.

    The statement also pointed out that records from the Army showed that more than 15,000 captives, mostly women and children have been rescued from the terrorists from February to date.

    It said: “In addition, dozens of communities that were previously under the control of the terrorists have been liberated, allowing thousands of previously displaced citizens to return home and resume their normal lives.

    “Thousands of these women and children freed from captivity have also been reunited with their families.

    “This huge number of rescued women and children may not be prominent names, and their disappearance may not have generated any massive media attention and campaign.

    “However, their liberation is just as important as that of every other missing woman and child, and a testament to the devotion of our military personnel who daily risk life and limb in the efforts to bring back every Nigerian citizen kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists.

    “Along with these ongoing efforts to rid our country of terrorists and terrorism, the Nigerian government is focused on the welfare and rehabilitation of rescued Nigerians, many of whom were found in a state of severe malnutrition and illness.”

    While noting that the intentions of the BBOG leadership are honourable, the statement said the group perhaps did not consider the collateral damage which must follow its riveting and dispiriting claim that the President has “broken all promises” allegedly made to the group on this issue, or that he has been “lackadaisical” in rescuing the Chibok girls.

    The Federal Government’s focus, it said, has always been to free the Chibok girls alive and unharmed.

     

     

  • Buhari’s wife gives N30m cash to Chibok girls’ parents

    Buhari’s wife gives N30m cash to Chibok girls’ parents

    Wife of the President Hajia Aisha Buhari yesterday presented about N30 million cash support to parents of the abducted Government Secondary School (GSS) Chibok, Borno state

    Mrs Buhari, represented by Hajiya Nana Shettima, the wife of the Borno governor presented the cash to the parents at a ceremony in Maiduguri.

    She explained that the gesture was aimed at assisting the parents with some financial support towards alleviating their sufferings.

    Mrs Buhari pointed out that the presentation was in fulfillment of her promise to assist the less privileged and victims of insurgency in the North East.

    “Today’s presentation was in fulfillment of the promise I made earlier in the year during my book launch in Abuja.

    “I made a promise that the proceeds will be use to better the lives of women and victims of insurgency in the North East,” she said.

    She urged the beneficiaries to invest the money in productive ventures, so it can better their living conditions.

    “This money is not a sort of compensation, but a kind of support for those in need.

    “Our immediate prayer is for God to help trace and rescue the abducted girls so that they can be safely re-united with their families,” Buhari said.

  • Chibok girls: FG won’t fall for fraudsters’ antics – Buhari

    Chibok girls: FG won’t fall for fraudsters’ antics – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said the Federal Government will not fall for  antics of fraudsters who have been asking for money to negotiate release of the abducted Chibok girls.

    Speaking on Friday in Abuja while receiving the Primate and Archbishops of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the President said his administration will continue to insist on a thorough authentication of the identities and bona fides of any persons or groups claiming to have custody of the girls before entering into negotiations with them.

    Buhari,  however, assured the Anglican Bishops of his steadfast commitment to the rescue of the girls, saying their safe return will be one of his greatest fulfillments in office as President.

     

  • I’m resolute in finding Chibok girls – Buhari

    I’m resolute in finding Chibok girls – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari said Friday that he remained committed to the finding of the over 200 Chibok girls seized in April 2014 by the terror sect, Boko Haram.

    He said on the occasion of this year’s Children’s Day celebration that the recent rescue of Amina Ali Nkeki and Sarah Luka all of Chibok was evidence that government is unwavering in this task.

    Represented by Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Muhammad Bello, Buhari also called for an end to all forms of abuse and exploitation against the child, including abduction and forced early marriage.

    No child or indeed any Nigerian, he said, should be put through the brutality of abduction, violence or forced marriage in whatever form, stressing that every girl has a right to education and choice of life.

    He spoke of the urgent need for all stakeholders, including parents and communities at all levels to protect children against any form of violence.

    He directed the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development to liaise with other agencies to work out appropriate programmes including actions and measures that would help in tackling violence and abuse against children.

    While wishing children happy celebration, the President urged them to be responsible citizens by respecting constituted authorities as well their parents, teachers and elders.

    He called on parents to teach their children to live a life of honesty, dedication and love for the country.

    In her address, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Jumai Alhassan who was also represented at the occasion by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Hajiya Binta Adamu Bello said that  government would not leave any stone unturned in protecting the rights of the children.

  • Buhari calls for end to child marriage, exploitation

    Buhari calls for end to child marriage, exploitation

    President Muhammadu Buhari, has called for an end to all forms of abuse and exploitation against the child, including abduction and forced early marriage.

    Buhari made the call Friday during the National Children’s Day Celebration at the Eagle Square, Abuja; saying there is urgent need for all stakeholders, including parents and communities at all level to protect children against any form of violence.

    The president who was represented at the occasion by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, said the Federal Government was resolute in its efforts at rescuing all the missing Chibok Girls.

    He cited the recent rescue of Amina Ali Nkeki and Sarah Luka all of Chibok, as evidence that government was unwavering in its resolve in that regard.

    The President said, no child or indeed any other Nigerian should be put through the brutality of abduction, violence or forced marriage in whatever form, stressing that every girl has a right to education and choice of life.

    According to a statement issued by the Deputy Director / Chief Press Secretary, Muhammad Sule, Buhari while emphasizing the commitment of his administration to protecting the rights of children as enshrined in the Child Rights Act, 2007 as well as in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, said his government would continue to fight the scourge of child abuse, child abduction, child labour and child trafficking among others.

    He directed the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development to liaise with other agencies to work out appropriate programmes including actions and measures that would help in tackling violence and abuse against children.

    While wishing children happy celebration, the President urged them to be responsible citizens by respecting constituted authorities as well their parents, teachers and elders.

    He called on parents to teach their children to live a life of honesty, dedication and love for the country.

    In her address, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Jumai Alhassan who was also represented at the occasion by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Hajiya Binta Adamu Bello assured that the government would not leave any stone unturned in protecting the rights of the children.

  • Boko Haram ready to discuss surrender and release of Chibok girls

    Boko Haram ready to discuss surrender and release of Chibok girls

    Terror sect Boko Haram seems to willing to broker a deal with the federal government to release the remaining kidnapped Chibok school girls in return for escaping prosecution.

    Over 200 students of the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, were seized two years ago and have not been traced or found.

    The Times of London believes only a third of them remain alive.

    The paper reported that senior members of the terrorist group said it was prepared to negotiate a surrender and release the hostages on the condition they would not be not betrayed by the government or killed for giving up arms.

    “We want to surrender because things are getting worse,” said Amir Muhammad Abdullahi, who is reportedly Boko Haram’s second in command. He said no side was winning the battle and that only a third of the girls remained as “the rest have been martyred”.

    Two Chibok girls have been found in the last one week – one of whom called Amina Ali Darsha Nkeki – was found near Sambisa forest.

    However, there was confusion mounting over whether the second girl, Serah Luka, who was freed in a raid on a Boko Haram camp on 19 May, was from Chibok.

    A strategic member of the Bring Back Our Girls campaign group, Jeff Okoroafor said yesterday that the body would  stand by the report from the just rescued Amina Ali that only six of the Chibok girls had died.

    Okoroafor said the group’s leaders were not aware of the latest report that only one third of the Chibok girls were alive.

    According to him, “We stand by Amina’s report. Until we get some more concrete and verifiable, we will hold on to what she has said that only six of the girls have died and others are still alive.”