Rescued Girls: Group chides Chibok community

Coalition for Women Advancement in Africa (CAWA) yesterday flayed the leadership of the Chibok community over the recent rescue efforts of two of the abducted school girls by the Nigerian Military

This is even as a Civil Society Organization, Africa Arise for Change Network expressed optimism that the military will rescue more of the Chibok Girls from their Boko Haram captors in the days ahead.

Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, the Executive Vice President of CAWA, Jummai Samuel said the Nigerian Military should be eulogized for their efforts rather than being castigated by the leadership of the Chibok community.

The head of the Chibok Community in Abuja, Tsambido H Abana had while speaking in Abuja condemned the rescue effort of the second girl, Serah Luka saying she is not part of the chibok community.

But the group said,  “as mothers, our joy is that these two girls regaining their freedom has rekindled our hopes that the other school girls abducted in Chibok and thousand others abducted from their homes and other places will soon regain their freedom.

“While recognising that two out of over 200 looks negligible, we are joyed nonetheless that  the years of incarceration and abuse for these two are over

“We are however saddened by the report that six of the girls have died in captivity.

“We are saddened even more by deliberate attempt by some miscreants within the cyberspace to denigrate the efforts of the military in bringing about the conditions that made the rescue of these two girls, other women and children possible.”

Meanwhile, Africa Arise for Change Network demanded an apology from former president Goodluck Jonathan and Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose for leading a propaganda to make Nigerians think that the Chibok girls saga was a hoax.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, National Coordinator of the group, Nkechi Odoma commended the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and the military for the sustained onslaught on the insurgents and the rescue of two chibok girls.

She blamed the long captivity of the girls on the failure of the former administration to take immediate action after the girls were abducted from their school.

She said: “In 2014 when over 200 girls were abducted from their school in Chibok, Borno State, the wife of the then President, Dame Patience Jonathan released that blockbuster of “Na only you waka come? Diaris Guuuud o.” We recall this unfortunate episode, because, funny as it was then, it typified the mind-set of the Goodluck Jonathan government and all its officials, and as we saw including spouses.”

According to Odomo, the Jonathan government did everything to create doubts that any girl, let alone over 200 hundred girls, was abducted even after grieving parents and guardians visited the presidential villa .

She said: “So widespread and effective was the propaganda that many Nigerians were misled into believing that the whole kidnap story was hoax or a plot by the opposition to make trouble for the ruling party. It was this criminal denial that led to sincere efforts being made to liberate the girls when efforts should have been made.

“We are therefore elated that one of the Chibok girls, Amina Ali-Nkeki has been rescued and reunited with her family. It is equally uplifting that that reports were filtering in that a second girl was rescued within 24 hours after Ali-Nkeki regained freedom.”