Minister commends UN over quest to free Chibok girls
By Tom Okpe, Abuja
Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Aisha Abubakar has commended the United Nations (UN) for their efforts in securing and providing relief materials for the rescued girls.
The minister was also grateful to other philanthropists that provided various forms of support for the well-being of the girls and their families during the period of captivity and after.
Hajia Aisha, speaking in Abuja on Wednesday at the 5th anniversary of the girls’ kidnap from their school in Chibok, said that after all efforts by previous administrations at the federal, state and local levels to rescue the girls failed, the present government came to their rescue.
“All efforts by previous governments at both federal and state, including concerned individuals and organizations to secure the release of the school girls proved abortive, until the coming of the present administration.
“On May 18, 2016, having been in captivity for two years, the present government of President Muhammadu Buhahi rescued one of the adducted girls, Amina Darsha Nkeki, with her four- month- old baby girl.
“This feat was repeated, seven months later when the federal government secured the release of 21 other Chibok girls on October 13, 2016. Maryam Ali Maiyanga, one of the abducted Chibok girls and her baby boy were rescued on January 5, 2017.
“The rescue of 82 Chibok girls on May 7, 2017 crowned the efforts of the present government in its resolve to protect and secure the lives and property of Nigerians,” she said.
On April 14, 2014, 276 school girls said to be preparing for their senior certificate examination were abducted from their school, Government Girls Secondary School Chibok, a village in Borno state.
Hajia noted that it is the government’s wish to secure the release of all the abducted girls, adding that the government has provided succor to the released victims and thanked different organizations and groups, most especially the Chibok Development Association for their concern and support in the release of the Chibok girls.
