The presidency has released a statement urging the advocacy group of the
missing Chibok school girls, Bring Back Our Girls, not to give up on
efforts by the government to rescue the missing girls. Read the
statement signed by Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on
Media and Publicity, Shehu Garba below…
The
BringBackOurGirls group claims in a recent statement 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. The
Presidency will like to appeal 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 in the
ongoing effort to free all Nigerian citizens taken captive by the Boko
Haram terrorist group.
The
past year of this administration has seen the Nigerian military step up
bombardment of the Sambisa Forest, a stronghold of the Boko Haram
terrorist group, leading to the capture of hundreds of insurgents.
Also,
records from the Army show the rescue of no fewer than 15,000 captives,
mostly women and children from the terrorists from February to date. 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 effort 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
their intentions are honourable, perhaps the BBOG leadership have not
considered the collateral damage which must inevitably 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 has always been to free the Chibok girls alive and unharmed.
The
President is conscious always about the fact that terrorism in Nigeria
is part of a global phenomenon. Since coming to office, his response to
it has been firm and well considered.
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 under the President knew where they are held,
they will bring the Chibok girls home today.
The
Presidency is open to renew cooperation with the BBOG group,
international bodies, religious groups, social workers, and all others
who are assisting in the field to ensure that those who have so far been
rescued from Boko Haram captivity are given the support they need to
make a full recovery and be reintegrated fully into society.
Groups such as the BBOG can also lend a helping hand to military families whose losses need to be appreciated and focused upon.
The
life of every single Nigerian matters to this government and the
security agencies, under the command of President Buhari, will continue
to exert all its powers to ensure that every Nigerian is safe from the
brutality of terrorists and terrorism.
Garba Shehu
SSA to the President (Media & Publicity)
