Chibok community accuses FG of stalling educational pursuits of rescued girls
By Omeiza Ajayi
THE Chibok community under the aegis of Kibaku Area Development Association, KADA, has accused the Federal Government of stalling the educational pursuits of some of its girls who were abducted by the Boko Haram sect in April 2014 and later released.
The community in a statement by its National President, Dauda Ndirpaya Iliya and Director of Media and Publicity, Dr Manasseh Allen lamented that the community was currently on the verge of extermination following continued violent attacks by terrorists.
Recall that on April 14, 2014, 276 school girls of Government Secondary School, Chibok were abducted by Boko Haram terrorists in their school. Of these, 57 escaped, 219 were missing for a long time; a total of 107 have been rescued, 112 remain missing today for 2,276 days.
According to them, “neither the families nor the Kibaku community have been briefed and informed by the Federal Government on rescue efforts, or the whereabouts of our daughters since the last batch of 82 that returned on May 7, 2017, except the messages by President Muhammadu Buhari released every 13 April since then, on the eve of the 14 April commemoration. These messages are basically same copy-and-paste with minor alterations year in, year out.”
Stalled educational pursuits
“Our returned daughters who enrolled at the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola, have not made much progress, and feel frustrated, not understanding the direction of things or being properly briefed of their future. 10 of them have out of frustration left the programme. They are: Laraba Mamman, Mwa Daniel, Rachael Nkeki (who are now married), Saraya Yanga, Philomena Dauda, Sarah Nkeki, Asabe Lawan, Glory Mainta, Talatu Adamu, and Lydia Habila. They remain uncertain when they shall be writing their O’Level final examinations, and so forth. In the school, they are isolated and not allowed mingle, interact, and socialise with other students which would have been a means of learning, and continuous psychosocial therapy. The Federal Government has also frustrated any help that came the way of these daughters of ours.
“Many schools abroad, voluntary organisations etc offered to provide them with scholarships but were hindered and frustrated by the Federal Government. For instance, some time in August 2018, Maryam Wavi, Asabe Goni, Amina Ali Nkeki, Saratu Emmunuel, Rebecca Ishaku were literally blocked at the airport by the police and Department of State Service (DSS) who handed them along with their parents to the Nigerian Immigration Services and detained until they missed their flights.”