The Buhari administration may have turned its back on the plight of the abducted Chibok girls kidnapped 8.5years ago by marauding terrorist group [Boko Haram] at a school in Borno State on April 14, 2014. Of the 276 kidnapped girls, 98 girls remain missing – in the custody of the terrorist group against repeated appeals by Chibok parents and community leaders for the President of the federal republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari to fulfil his pledge of ensuring their kidnapped daughters are returned home to them. A pledge the President made upon assuming office on May 29, 2015.
The parents of Chibok community have made yet another appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari in a letter dated Friday December 30, 2022 titled “Bring Back Our Daughters Before You Leave Office” and signed by Yana Galang and Zanna Lawan on behalf of the parents of the abducted children.
The letter urged the President to recall and redeem the pledge he made to the Chibok community on May 29, 2015, where he said “but we cannot claim to have defeated Boko Haram without rescuing the Chibok girls and all other innocent persons held hostage by insurgents, this government will do all it can to rescue them alive.” They also point to another pledge made four [4] years into President Buhari’s administration on April 14th, 2019 which marked 5 years after the abduction, where he said, “We will not rest until all the remaining girls are back and reunited with their families. I made this promise when I became president, and I will keep it.”
Already, according to available information obtained from some of the rescued and/or escaped Chibok girls, the remainder of the abducted girls have all been married off to Boko Haram terrorists by force – and many of them now have children and are living a full life as wives and enablers of terror against Nigeria.
In Nov 2017, the Buhari administration acknowledged to have engaged the terrorist group in negotiations aimed at seeking the release of the abducted girls. The Buhari administration also released the sum of N165m to American University, Yola, Adamawa State for payment of fees for the reintegration and education of the freed 106 Chibok girls.
But the missing 98 abducted girls remain unaccounted for – and the sleepless nights to the Chibok parents.
This is reflected in the recent letter of appeal which reads, “Mr. President, we would like to remind you of the promises you made to us on the remaining rescue of our kidnapped daughters, as we acknowledge your efforts and express our sincere gratitude to your administration on your past effort. However, we request that you fulfil your promise and return our daughters back to us, even if this is going to be the last act of your presidency”.
“During your inaugural speech on May 29, 2015, you said and quote: ‘but we cannot claim to have defeated Boko Haram without rescuing the Chibok girls and all other innocent persons held hostage by insurgents, this government will do all it can to rescue them alive.’ Recalling your words on April 14th, 2019, 5 years after the abduction of our daughters, you further promised and we quote: ‘We will not rest until all the remaining girls are back and reunited with their families. I made this promise when I became president, and I will keep it.’
“Mr. President, you reassured us that our daughters will be reunited with us. On April 14th, 2021, a statement titled “Chibok Girls Still on Our Minds” was released and you further reminded us of your promise and reassured us that all our girls will be rescued and reintegrated back into their communities.
Of the 276 girls that were abducted in 2014, we are disheartened that eight years later and a few months before the end of your administration, 96 of them remain in Boko Haram captivity, subjected to unimaginable ordeal and abuse at the hands of their captors”.
“Mr. President, you promised to be the light that would illuminate our darkness, end our writhing pains, dry our tears, and free us from the shackles of sadness, sorrow, and anguish this trajectory has brought into our existence. When we marked the eighth year’s remembrance of the abduction this year, we didn’t think we would hold any more commemoration, and the truth is that we don’t want to”.
“Collectively, we say eight years is too long for a child to be denied the love and care of her family. We therefore demand that you make true your promise and bring joy back to our lives, as you handover to another President to head back to Daura for a deserving rest”.
