The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Chibok girls

  • While searching for our Chibok girls

    SIR: While we are still praying and busy searching for our Chibok girls, we should not leave our rear completely exposed and unguarded. This is evidenced in the deadly bomb – attacks that rocked the cities of Kano and Jos respectively within a week when the attention of our security forces and their foreign allies were drawn and focused on the north- eastern Nigerian forests in search of the abducted girls.

    Or has the Boko – Haram sold our military a dummy? Is this abduction saga a decoy that the Boko – Haram is using to strike at soft targets in the other parts of the country while the world’s attention is focused on just one geo – political zone?

    We have reasons to be apprehensive for the safety of our lives because no one knows when and where the next bomb may be set to blast. This is where protection of vested interests of certain godfathers and their godsons has landed us in this nation.

    Definitely, Nigeria as a nation is waging an offensive spiritual warfare now and the whole world knows it. Greed, avarice and clamour for power at all cost seem to have blurred the spiritual sights of our leaders. Even the priests of God seem to be affected too. They seem to be shying away in declaring God’s total counsel to our political leaders. .’’

    As the LORD moves the whole world to beam its searchlight on the nation with a view to help us out of our socio – economic and political quagmires, so shall God’s glory shine suddenly upon this land. And we shall soon forget our current woes. Our weeping shall soon turn to laughter.

    No doubt, it is the whole nation of Nigeria that is in captivity and not just these 276 abducted Chibok girls. But God is saying that He will turn again our captivity in Nigeria. And when the LORD will eventually turn again the captivity of Zion, we shall be like them that dream. Our mouth shall be filled with laughter and our tongue with singing. The Lord will surely do great things for us in Nigeria and we shall be glad. The nation is currently sowing in tears and we shall soon reap in joy. The nation- Nigeria is going about weeping (spiritually and physically) as a result of these traumas still bearing precious seed, but we shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing in our sheaves.

    Succinctly put, something glorious will surely  come out of these conflicts / warfare going on in the heavenlies and in the physical on behalf of Nigeria in JESUS name.

    • Gbemiga Olakunle, JP

    National Prayer Movement,

    Lagos

     

  • ‘Why FG should negotiate for release of Chibok girls’

    ‘Why FG should negotiate for release of Chibok girls’

    Prelate and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Most Rev Prof Emele Uka, spoke with Nicholas Kalu on why negotiations should not be ruled out for the release of the abducted Chibok school girls. Excerpts:

    To you think the federal government should swap the abducted Chibok girls for detained Boko Haram members?

    I’m compelled to believe that Nigeria is passing through a trying period that is mixed with faith and fear. It looks like the time when Charles Dickens in his Novel ‘The Tale of Two Cities’  wrestled with the theme of duality with respect to the upheavals in London and Paris during the French Revolution.

    This kind of situation seems to confront us in Nigeria today when a whole nation with all her mighty Army, Air force and other security apparatuses are being humiliated by a handful of terrorists who despite their small number are able to abduct over 200 teenage school girls, whom they have kept in captivity for nearly forty consecutive days.

    The situation has awakened all Christians and non-Christians nationwide and even Christians and non-Christians worldwide to storm the gates of heaven with prayers to the God of Israel – our Christian God, who is supremely able to set captives free from bondage. He did it for the children of Israel when they were in bondage in Egypt for 400 years. He did it for Peter when he was imprisoned by King Herod for preaching Christ.

    Also when Paul and Silas were put in dungeon, God set them free in response to their prayer and praise worship. It was the God of Israel who delivered Daniel from the lion’s den and also delivered three Hebrew lads from a fiery furnace.

    Should government negotiate with terrorists?

    It should be noted that discretion is the better part of valour and that no price is too great to be paid for the emancipation of these innocent, helpless, armless, tender girls.

    The government should note that if any of them dies in captivity given the fact that we are dealing with a terrorist group, the blood of the child shall be required especially from the governor of Borno State, the Chief Security Officer of the state, under whose watch this darkness has befallen this nation.

    What is more painful for some of us is that the insurgents have no respect or regard for international conventions, for the protection of civilians, especially women and children against the consequences of armed conflicts.

    The Geneva protocol provides that attacks against civilian population are prohibited and that attacks may be directed only against military objectives.

    The way forward is for governor of Borno State to be encouraged, as he said in his interview with Christiane Amanpour of CNN that he would gladly negotiate with Boko Haram, if he had the chance, for the release of the more than 230 abducted Chibok school girls.

    He said if he had to talk to the devil to secure the release of the girls he would do so. This window for a dialogue mooted by the governor of Borno State, the very governor who was the Chief Security Officer of the state when the abduction happened, should be taken seriously and a mechanism put in place for the negotiation to take place soonest.

    But the group wants negotiation when it is still killing and abducting…

    The argument that if Boko Haram wants to negotiate, it must first renounce violence and surrender its weapons of mass destruction, does not arise. And for one to say that the government cannot enter into negotiation with a criminal organisation waging a violent war against the state and the Nigerian people is a fallacy because what is at stake is not the survival of the Nigerian state but the release of Nigeria’s innocent, harmless, helpless, powerless teenage girls who have been in painful captivity for the past 40 consecutive days.

    The issue of sitting round a table with leaders of Boko Haram to discuss the release of the girls they have held in captivity for over 40 days is in order. If that is the price Nigeria has to pay to save the lives of innocent girls who the government failed to protect.

    Also, the argument that for the government to bend over to engage in dialogue with Boko Haram will convey the message to all other underground movements across Nigeria that it is okay for any militant organisation to use violence to press for its goals, does not hold water.

    This argument does not in any way address the issue of how the girls in captivity are to regain their freedom. If we dialogue to give up those in detention and release our girls, what do we lose? Not much. May be the released insurgents can fight us but that is a price we can pay. It is an opportunity cost.

    Would we rather let the girls die or let the prisoners be released? Now that the world powers are with us, there will be no hiding place for the insurgents when they are set free. So let’s negotiate in order to save the lives of our daughters.

  • Chibok girls: Deputy Governor’s wife organises prayer session

    Chibok girls: Deputy Governor’s wife organises prayer session

    Wife of Edo State Deputy Governor, Deaconess Endurance Odubu, has urged women in the state to pray ceaselessly until the abducted girls in Chibok, Borno State are released.

    Deaconess Odubu made the call yesterday in Benin City at a prayer session targeted at securing the release of the schoolgirls who were kidnapped by the Boko Haram insurgents.

    The deputy governor’s wife enjoined the women to be passionate in prayers aimed at touching the hearts of the Boko Haram insurgents who have been holding the schoolgirls captive. She said the onus is on women to ask for God’s intervention in this trying moment in the nation’s history.

    Deaconess Odubu remarked that the prayer session was aimed to fight the common cause of restoring security in the country, irrespective of religion.

    In her remarks, the Special Adviser on Special Duties to Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Hajia Maimuna Momodu, told the congregation that the focus is on the alarming rate of insecurity in the country, stressing that women are worst hit irrespective of whether men or women are the victims.

    She maintained that the prayer session was not for the schoolgirls recently kidnapped in Borno State alone, but for every Nigerian who is directly or indirectly affected by the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria.

    State president of the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), Hajia Fatima Hassan, said Boko Haram is un-Islamic and, therefore, called for all hands to be on deck in the face of insecurity.

    Rev. Christiana Ejemurua, in an exhortation, expressed confidence that the Chibok schoolgirls would be freed unhurt.

    The interim state All Progressive Congress (APC) woman leader in Edo State, Mrs. Modino Emovon, appealed to the kidnappers to release the girls.

    The prayer session was attended by the wife of the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mrs. Jennifer Igbe; wife of the state Head of Service, Mrs. Blessing Obazele, local government chairpersons, Muslim women and the women’s wing of the Christian community.

    Also, High Priest Osemwengie Ebohon has advised the federal government against the use of arms against the Boko Haram insurgents.

    Ebohon recommended the adoption of diplomacy to achieve the desired result.

    He spoke against the backdrop of global calls on Boko Haram insurgents to release over 200 girls of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State who were adopted last month.

    Ebohon said: “If we want to save those girls and more Nigerians, we should negotiate in a way that we will not lose our sovereignty”.

  • Chibok girls: U.S. Air Force men, drone go into action

    Chibok girls: U.S. Air Force men, drone go into action

    More details emerged yesterday on the United States troops deployed to join the search for the Chibok girls kidnapped by extremist Boko Haram sect.

    A U.S. military spokesman said that the 80 personnel deployed in Chad to help find nearly 300 kidnapped schoolgirls are from the Air Force and have already begun their mission, using a drone and Global Hawks.

    Chuck Prichard, a spokesman at the U.S. military’s Africa command in Germany, said yesterday that the 80 Air Force personnel were previously stationed in the United States, though he did not disclose where in the U.S.

    President Barack Obama told Congress in a letter Wednesday about the deployment. Obama said the service members would help with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft for missions over northern Nigeria and the nearby region.

    A senior U.S. official said the drone is a Predator and will be in addition to the unarmed Global Hawks already being used. The new flights will be based out of Chad and allow the military to expand its search to that country. Initially the flights were largely over Nigeria.

    Lt. Col. Myles Caggins said Wednesday that newly deployed forces will help expand drone searches of the region. About 40 of the troops make up the launch and recovering teams for the drone being deployed there and the other 40 make up the security force for the team.

    The girls were kidnapped last month from the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.

    The United Nations (UN) Security Council has imposed sanctions against Boko Haram.

    U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power welcomed the council’s action, calling it “an important step in support of the government of Nigeria’s efforts to defeat Boko Haram and hold its murderous leadership accountable for atrocities.”

    Nigeria, which is serving a two-year term on the council, asked the Security Council committee monitoring sanctions against al-Qaida to add Boko Haram to the list of al-Qaida-linked organisations subject to an arms embargo and asset freeze.

    The 14 other council members had until 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT) yesterday to object and none did. So the committee will now add Boko Haram to the al-Qaida sanctions list.

    By adding Boko Haram to the sanctions list, Power said, “the Security Council has helped to close off important avenues of funding, travel and weapons to Boko Haram, and shown global unity against their savage actions.”

    Nigeria’s U.N. Ambassador U. Joy Ogwu said Wednesday “the important thing is to attack the problem, and that is terrorism.”

    The al-Qaida sanctions list  includes 62 entities and groups, and 213 individuals who are also subject to travel bans.

    At a summit in Paris on Saturday aimed at hammering out a plan to rescue the 276 girls, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said “Boko Haram is acting clearly as an al-Qaida operation.” The Nigerian president only reluctantly accepted outside help after years of insisting that Boko Haram was a local problem.

    French President Francois Hollande told the summit that Boko Haram is armed with weapons that came from Libya following the ouster of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011, and the training took place in Mali before the ouster of its al-Qaida linked Islamist leaders. As for the money, Hollande said its origins were murky.

    Also yesterday, the presidents of Cameroon and Chad met to map out ways to combat the Islamist group, which has extended its violence from Nigeria to its neighbours.  Presidents Paul Biya and Idriss Deby were also to examine security reports that some weapons used by Boko Haram came from Libya through Chad.

    The two leaders said they were meeting to fine-tune plans and reiterate the commitments they made in Paris on May 17 to wage war against Boko Haram.

    Colonel Didier Badjeck, spokesperson for Cameroon’s military, said the two governments were committed more than ever to fight Boko Haram alongside Nigerian forces.

    “We can not be indifferent when our brothers and sisters live in permanent fear from those who have taken upon themselves to use violence on everyone instead of a spiritual rearmament they claim to bring,” he said.

    Nyambelle Elvis, a Chadian expert on security issues, says the presidents of Chad and Cameroon had agreed to allow their forces to cross into the territories of each country in pursuit of terrorists and armed groups.

    He says there are accords that authorise security forces from the two countries to pursue “havoc wreakers” up to 30 kilometers from the border. He adds it was, therefore, necessary to reinforce that measure and increase mixed patrols in the border area.

    Nyambelle Elvis cites intelligence reports that Boko Haram has received sophisticated weapons from the Middle East and the Maghreb through Sudan and Chad to Nigeria and Cameroon.

    He said weapons also came in from Libya and that training of Boko Haram members took place in Mali when Islamist militants controlled the north of that country.

  • Still on the Chibok girls’ list

    I went through the papers and the interview granted to Evangelist Matthew Owojaiye struck me.

    I saw in the papers that the principal said the data of the students were destroyed by the sect. I want to remind the principal as well as the entire globe certain cogent points.

    I registered WAEC 2014 for my school and I will like the principal to remember that the validation list of all the candidates registered for this year’s WAEC examination is still currently on the website of WAEC. All the school needs to do is contact the exam officer who registered to print out the validation list.

    WAEC started her off-line registration this year – software was used without the internet that stored all students’ data usually installed on a system to prevent errors. The list can be got from that offline CD too.

    More so, all schools have submitted the duplicate of the photo album to the WAEC office nearest to them. The school can contact WAEC for the photo album

    Furthermore, Tuesday 13th, May is CRS and some exams are still on, we can get the names in batches.

    Getting these names published will help us know those we are looking for and furthermore show the sincerity of the Nigerian government. Every well-meaning Nigeria wants these girls back.

    This politics is getting out of hand; the principal must do as his conscience leads.

     

    Oni, Afolabi Ajibola

    English Language/Literature Teacher

    Debiruss College, Lekki-Epe Express Way.

  • Chibok Girls: Activist alleges pressure on Jonathan to sack service chiefs

    Chibok Girls: Activist alleges pressure on Jonathan to sack service chiefs

    Niger Delta activist, Hon. David Tonwe has advised President Goodluck Jonathan to resist “underground pressure” to sack service chiefs in the wake of the abduction of over 200 Chibok school girls and the raging Boko Haram carnages in the North East of the country.

    Tonwe, who is Chairman of the Itsekiri National Youth Council, said the group had uncovered plot to arm-twist the President to sack the chiefs of Defence Staff, Army Staff, Naval Staff and the Inspector General of Police.

    He said: “I want to urge the President to be steadfast and not bow to pressure of opponents who want to use the move to destabilise his government and this country.

    “The security chiefs on ground now are better positioned to assist the foreign security operatives to tackle the insurgence and free the over 200 girls,” he said.

    He frowned at the utterances of some leaders from the volatile region who constantly accuse the military of not being able to address the security challenges.

    “Sadly, as we are talking, there are underground moves to force the President to remove the service chiefs because of the security challenges in the Northeast, Boko Haram insurgency. I do not think that is the right move. They are just few months on the job and they need time.

    “The service chiefs are not the cause of the crisis in the north; they are doing their best possible to curtail the challenges and it will be counterproductive to remove them at this critical time, instead of supporting them to succeed.

    “Anybody instigating the removal of the service chiefs do not have the interest of Nigeria at heart. Rather than calling for their removal, they should be supported to achieve our collective target to rout Boko Haram and other insurgent groups in the area from the country,” Tonwe added.

    Tonwe urged Nigerians to back President Jonathan and those in charge of security in order for them to achieve the target of making the country safe for all Nigerians and genuine interests.

  • Chibok girls: Conference pressure group backs Fed Govt on foreign assistance

    A group under the aegis of the National Unity Forum (NUF), at the National Conference backed yesterday President Goodlock Jonathan for accepting foreign assistance to rescue the Chibok school girls abducted by the Boko Haram fundamentalists in Borno State.

    The group whose membership is drawn from the conference, condemned the abduction.

    It applauded the support from the international community and the global campaign to “BringBackOurGirls” safely.

    Coordinator of the group, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, who led other members to address journalists at the National Judicial Institute (NJI), venue of the conference appealed to other delegates and Nigerians generally to eschew rancours that might affect the unity of the country.

    Mantu said, “We can make progress only by eschewing divisive politicking and rancor. We cannot possibly be great, when our house is in disorder. Our country is in a hurry to advance the welfare and well-being of our teeming youth towards in realising their God-given talents, aspirations and vision.”

    Flanked by a former Senate President Senator Adolphus Wabara and Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, Mantu urged delegates to also eschew sectional interests at the conference.

    “Our contributions and expressions should be guided by sense of responsibility and patriotism. We must remember that history will be kind or harsh with us depending on which side of history we choose to be.

    “We represent different groups but we must not allow our representation of these interest groups to becloud our sense of patriotism, reasoning and objectivity,” Mantu pleaded.

    He noted that the conference was meant to further cement the country’s unity in diversity and complement various efforts aimed at further strengthening historical, present and future aspirations.

    The former Deputy Senate President urged delegates to use their contributions to chart course for the country’s advancement, adding that the spirit of brotherhood should not be lost on the altar of sentimental agitation based on ethnic, religious and regional leanings.

    “The time has come for all of us to rally together as a people with indivisible vision and determination to conquer forces of evil that are bent on tearing us apart. “We will be able to surmount and overcome our challenges with determination, hope, sincerity and determination.

    “We can make progress only by eschewing divisive politicking and rancour. We cannot possibly be great when our house is in disorder.”

  • We will not forget abducted girls – Okonjo-Iweala

    We will not forget abducted girls – Okonjo-Iweala

    The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Thursday promised that the Federal Government will not relent in its efforts to rescue the abducted schoolgirls.

    The minister said this in Ilorin, Kwara State, at the launch of oil palm plantation and distribution of personal computer tablets to fresh students of the University of Ilorin.

    She said, “I want to start this occasion by telling that we should take one minute to recognize a group of young women for whom we are saddened and waiting, our young girls from Chibok. Can you stand up for just one minute please?

    “We promised that we would not forget them and we will not. The reasons that I wanted to mention them is because when we speak about what happened to them we feel sad. But when we enter this hall with all you, with your energy, your president of the Student Union said your campaign of positivity. This is a wonderful thing to feel in this country and you have given me hope. “

    On the computer tablets she added: “The handing out of the PC. This links you to the world. Nigeria has one of the highest population of young people with mobile phone. We have the third fastest growing country for demand of mobile phones. We have 128 million mobile phone subscribers in this country.

    “Owning this tablet puts a great responsibility on you. Yes, it connects you to the world, but it should connect you to the world to improve your learning. Not to use the tablet for other activities that do not add value.

    “I want to urge you to consider the PC that you are receiving, the tablet, an instrument for growth and I know that with the quality of the students we have here today, this is what we are going to see.

    “The second is the launching of the palm plantation. This is wonderful feat. This would be used for learning, forestry, agriculture, even the beautification of the campus and above all to generate a steady income for the university.”

     

  • Why educate our girls – The Chibok Family

    Why educate our girls – The Chibok Family

    Zuriel Prime Minster of St Vincent & The Grenadines
    Zuriel Prime Minster of St Vincent & The Grenadines

    If to Educate means to give ‘Intellectual’ and ‘Moral’ instructions to someone, usually a child, then it is the responsibility of the society in which such children live to ensure their future generation are indeed, well educated, as a strategic tool of sustaining their economic and social security, for generations unborn. Many years ago, the United States was seen as the bedrock of intellectual education and the beacon of business and economic literacy to the rest of the world.

    The last decade has seen an obvious shift of that trend, eastwards as more of the current generation of youths and children are, for the first time, open to the same technology platform as their counterparts in the West, but particularly the United States. As telecommunications frontiers has opened up, broadband makes for instant video calls across thousands of miles and across oceans, while the lightning speed fingers of Asian and African kids means talking to, contacting, sharing music with, or writing programs with their friends and relatives civilizations away in the US and Europe are just seconds, greetings, and perhaps a smile away these days.

    Young boys and girls are a ready army into this very exciting trend and phenomena. They have become bolder than their parents’ generation, more inquisitive than their older siblings, and even more daring that those who led just barely 24 hours earlier.

    One such child is a young Nigerian Girl – 11 Year Old Zuriel Oduwole. There is nothing special about her. She plays, has dreams, does house chores, runs errands for her parents, fights with her younger sister occasionally, rides her bicycle, plays video games, except that on the side, she bothers and interviews world leaders about the need to expand Girls Education in Africa, and also makes documentaries to tell her African story. Zuriel has met with and interviewed 1 in 6 of Africa’s Presidents and Prime Ministers, has been featured in global magazines like Forbes, and appeared on global TV networks like the BBC. She held a first Lady’s Colloquy last month in Nigeria to find practical solutions to the issue of Girls’ Education, and one day, hopes to be President.

    There is nothing special about what Zuriel is doing, or perhaps maybe there is. But the definitive issue is she is educated and is still being educated, at age 11. That is what the girls in Chibok Secondary school were doing – getting an education, before they were taken away against their will. They were very much in line with what Zuriel is fighting for – the continued education of the African Girl Child.

    Nigeria’s economy is for all practical purposes, in the hands of [2] women – the minister of finance, and the minister of petroleum. They are both very educated, and they were once the ages of Zuriel, and the Chibok Girls. They had dreams, and are perhaps living their dreams as key figures in the Nigerian Government.

    Zuriel and Prime Minister of St Kitts & Nevis
    Zuriel and Prime Minister of St Kitts & Nevis

    Zuriel has now added more leaders to her list of very impressive interviewees, which now includes the Prime Minister of St Vincent & The Grenadines – The Honorable Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, and the Prime Minister of St Kitts & Nevis – The Right Honorable Dr. Denzil Douglas. She is making the case for educating the Girls in the Caribbean region, having a few months ago already sat down with the Prime Minister of Jamaica – The Right Honorable Portia Simpson Miller. But how can she hold court with world leaders and global business leaders such as Aliko Dangote whom she has also interviewed, if she was not educated.

    Let’s Educate our Girls, lets release ALL of Nigeria’s potentials. There are many Zuriel’s out there, waiting to lift the country to its fullest potential. For the sake of the hurting parents and their families, lets secure the release of the Chibok school girls, so they can contribute to the full development of the emerging African brand, called Nigeria.

     

  • Kuffour wants ‘Chibok girls’ released

    Another voice has joined the call for the release of over 200 schoolgirls abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State on April 14 by the Boko Haram sect.

    Former President of Ghana, Mr. John Kuffour, made the appeal while leading members of Nigerian Institute of Animal Sciences on a courtesy call to the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal.

    The former Ghanaian leader said: “if there is any issue to be settled, it should be settled among the elders. The youths should be left out.”

    “Everybody looks up to Nigeria and it (the abduction) generates nervousness among us.”

    Kuffor called for dialogue on the matter, saying there is no matter that cannot be settle through dialogue.

    Tambuwal in his response said the government is doing all within its power to ensure that the abducted girls were rescued and returned to their parents safely as soon as possible.

    He thanked all the foreign countries supporting Nigeria in the efforts to rescue the girls.

    “We are very much concern as a government. We will do our maximum best and ensure that the girls return to their parents safely. The government is not sleeping,” he said.