Chibok community under the Kibaku Area Development Association (KADA)
has lamented that 112 Chibok schoolgirls are still with the Boko Haram
terrorists, noting that their rescue is no longer a priority for the
President Muhammadu Buhari government.
The Chibok community said Buhari should be reminded that he made a
promise during his inauguration in May 2015 that “We cannot claim to
have defeated Boko Haram without rescuing the Chibok girls and all other
innocent persons held hostage by insurgents.”
The Chibok community on Wednesday in a release to commemorate the seven
years of the abduction of the girls noted that the inaction of the
Federal Government over the girls is a painful reminder that the
administration did not value their lives.
The community in a release by Dr Manasseh Allen, KADA Director of Media
and Publicity, said, “It is with a deep sense of sadness that we address
you again for so many times for the past seven years since the abduction
of our girls. This is more so difficult to accept, the reality, the
dreadful seventh anniversary of the abduction of 276 schoolgirls from
the only high school we have in our community, where 503 students were
registered to sit for their final Senior School Certificate at the
Government Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State, our hearts remain
broken, yet resilient in keeping hope alive.
“Had the Nigerian state treated the issue of the Chibok Girls’ abduction
with the sense of urgency it deserved, we would not be here after seven
years and still be demanding for the rescue of 112 Chibok girls still
kept in the den of the terrorist Boko Haram.
“The fate of the missing 112 Chibok girls and many other abducted
victims of terrorism, banditry and continuing trauma of Chibok parents
is slipping from public consciousness and are no longer a priority for
the Federal Government; this is unacceptable.
“Today April, 14, 2021, we are marking these events to highlight the
voices of the Chibok families, whose lives have been shattered for seven
years as we face the devastating truth of our government’s neglect and
absence of update from any of the arms of government on our missing
girls. Sadly, over 20 parents have since died without setting eyes on
their Children they sent to school in search of education.
“We remind President Muhammadu Buhari of his statement at his
inauguration in 2015 that “We cannot claim to have defeated Boko Haram
without rescuing the Chibok girls and all other innocent persons held
hostage by insurgents.” But the actions – or rather, the inaction – of
the Federal Government over our daughters, while repeatedly claiming
that the terrorists have been defeated while our girls remain in
bondage, is a painful reminder that this administration does not value
the lives of our precious girls who have been abandoned by the
government that is supposed to protect them.”