Buhari meets freed UNIMAID lecturers, women

President Muhammadu Buhari has informed the three University of Maiduguri UNIMAID lecturers and 10 policewomen, recently released by Boko Haram that his administration did not relent in its efforts to rescue them since their abduction by Boko Haram members last year.

The police officers were said to have been abducted in June 20 last year while travelling from Maiduguri, Borno State, to Askira Uba local government area to attend a burial.

The freed lecturers were part of a team searching for oil in the Lake Chad Basin.

Receiving the lecturers and the women Buhari, at the presidential villa on Monday, Buhari said that he was saddened by the incidents and had worked to ensure they were released.

He said, “ I can assure that apart from your family members, every peace loving Nigerian prayed for your safety and wished for your early release from the hold of your abductors.

“Your rescue on the 10th of February this year was a very huge relief to me personally as well as to all Nigerians.

“Let me say that this government treasure all human lives, particularly that of its citizens and following your abductions, the security agencies were directed by me to do everything humanly possible to ensure the safe release of every one of you and other persons under hold of the insurgents.

According to the President, while the government was fully aware of the expectations of the families of the abductees and the general public for their immediate freedom, he said the path to freedom for them was “painstaking and protracted”.

He said, “This was because the groups responsible for your abduction were not only different but based in different locations that if not properly handled could result in dire consequences.”

Buhari also used the occasion to thank all the various security agencies for their professionalism throughout the process, as well as “other agencies of government, sister nations in the Lake Chad region, the International Committee of the Red Cross who have contributed to this feat of bringing you all home safely”.

While thanking the security agencies and all those who facilitated the release, Mr. Buhari reiterated the resolve of his administration to ensure all persons abducted by the insurgents are rescued or released safely.

This, he said, is especially against the backdrop of the recent incident where another group of girls was abducted on February 19 from Government Science and Technical Girls College, Dapchi, Yobe State.

“I have since directed all security agencies to immediately ensure that every effort is directed to ensure the safety of our schools and students as well as bringing back the abducted girls to their families.

“Government remains unrelenting towards rescuing all those abducted. Government will also work closely with all stakeholders especially the United Nations and other donor agencies, voluntary organizations towards rehabilitating and resettling all those displaced as a result of all these conflicts, to quicken resumption of meaningful social economic activities.

“I remain very mindful of the pains and injury collectively meted out by the insurgents and we will ensure that government does not leave any stone unturned to degrade and contain these insurgents and ensure that complete peace returns to our land,” Mr. Buhari said.

Mr. Buhari also said the National Youth Service Corps ( NYSC) “should give a certificate of discharge to the person that spent the remaining of her service somewhere else (with abductors)”.