Members of the Chibok community, yesterday, sent a delegation to President Goodluck Jonathan to urge greater government efforts at re-taking the remaining areas of Borno State still held by Boko Haram, with the hope of rescuing their daughters who were abducted from the Government Girls Secondary School , GGSS, Chibok, last year.
The delegation was led by Malam Dunamo Mpur Chibok, Chairman of the Parents-Teachers Association, PTA, of the Government Girls Secondary School, GGSS, Chibok.
“We are concerned that the military said that they have not got information about our daughters in the areas they have recaptured. We want the Federal Government to expedite action to clear the remaining two local government areas as we hope and a wait the rescue of our daughters, “Malam Chibok said.
The PTA chairman disowned reports that the community rejected the reconstruction of GGSS Chibok and other schools destroyed by Boko Haram in the area.
The media, last week, reported a group claiming to represent Chibok as saying that the community wanted the girls rescued not reconstruction of burnt schools.
But the parents, who were received by the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said those who addressed the press in Maiduguri rejecting the reconstruction of burnt schools did not represent the grieving parents of the Chibok girls.
He noted that many other schools in the area had been destroyed by the insurgents and that the community welcomes steps being taken by the Federal Government to rebuild them in order to ensure children in the area resumed studies.
He said: “Our prayers are with our daughters and we hope and pray to see them very soon. We need them home and soonest, but this will not stop us from agreeing with the fact that we need our school rebuilt as we hopefully await their arrival home. Within the community have children that are redundant at home who have not been able to go to school.”
Addressing State House Correspondents after the National Security Council meeting in Abuja, on Tuesday, the Chief of Army staff, Gen. Kenneth Minimah, said that there was no news about of the abducted girls yet.
His words, “No news for now in all the liberated areas. We have also made inquiries but the truth is when the terrorists are running away they also run with their families.
“And those we have come in contact (with) have not made any comments suggesting that Chibok girls were there and taken away.
“But we are optimistic that as the war gets closer, the territory is becoming elusive to them (terrorists) and we will get further details on that” he said.
The Secretary of the Kibaku Area Development Association, Dr. Allen Manasseh, in his remarks said that Chibok was grieving for the abducted girls, as well as, having all their children out of school.
He specifically said Mrs. Sarah Paul, a parent of one of the kidnapped girls, had eight children and that besides her abducted daughter, the other seven children were all at home, without attending school , in the last one year.
Regretted the politicization of the abduction of the girls but urged the government and all good-spirited members of the society to remain steadfast in the search for the girls with a view to returning them safe to their parents.
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala said she was personally relieved by the position expressed by the delegation and would promptly pass their letter to President Goodluck Jonathan.
According to her the reported rejection of the reconstruction of schools in the area, under the Safe schools Initiative was confusing.
Her words, “We are very pleased to have this unexpected visit from you. We are very happy that you came all the way from Chibok to make your position on this matter clear. I will relate it to Mr. President. It was very confusing when we heard that Chibok community rejected re-construction of the school.
“Getting our children back to school cannot be politicized. Save Schools Initiative is not about politics. It is about development”.
The minister said that there were about 3, 000 school age children who needed to be returned to school in the area and as such steps would be taken to urgent get them back to classes.
The delegation was led by Malam Dunamo Mpur Chibok, Chairman of the Parents-Teachers Association, PTA, of the Government Girls Secondary School, GGSS, Chibok.
“We are concerned that the military said that they have not got information about our daughters in the areas they have recaptured. We want the Federal Government to expedite action to clear the remaining two local government areas as we hope and a wait the rescue of our daughters, “Malam Chibok said.
The PTA chairman disowned reports that the community rejected the reconstruction of GGSS Chibok and other schools destroyed by Boko Haram in the area.
The media, last week, reported a group claiming to represent Chibok as saying that the community wanted the girls rescued not reconstruction of burnt schools.
But the parents, who were received by the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said those who addressed the press in Maiduguri rejecting the reconstruction of burnt schools did not represent the grieving parents of the Chibok girls.
He noted that many other schools in the area had been destroyed by the insurgents and that the community welcomes steps being taken by the Federal Government to rebuild them in order to ensure children in the area resumed studies.
He said: “Our prayers are with our daughters and we hope and pray to see them very soon. We need them home and soonest, but this will not stop us from agreeing with the fact that we need our school rebuilt as we hopefully await their arrival home. Within the community have children that are redundant at home who have not been able to go to school.”
Addressing State House Correspondents after the National Security Council meeting in Abuja, on Tuesday, the Chief of Army staff, Gen. Kenneth Minimah, said that there was no news about of the abducted girls yet.
His words, “No news for now in all the liberated areas. We have also made inquiries but the truth is when the terrorists are running away they also run with their families.
“And those we have come in contact (with) have not made any comments suggesting that Chibok girls were there and taken away.
“But we are optimistic that as the war gets closer, the territory is becoming elusive to them (terrorists) and we will get further details on that” he said.
The Secretary of the Kibaku Area Development Association, Dr. Allen Manasseh, in his remarks said that Chibok was grieving for the abducted girls, as well as, having all their children out of school.
He specifically said Mrs. Sarah Paul, a parent of one of the kidnapped girls, had eight children and that besides her abducted daughter, the other seven children were all at home, without attending school , in the last one year.
Regretted the politicization of the abduction of the girls but urged the government and all good-spirited members of the society to remain steadfast in the search for the girls with a view to returning them safe to their parents.
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala said she was personally relieved by the position expressed by the delegation and would promptly pass their letter to President Goodluck Jonathan.
According to her the reported rejection of the reconstruction of schools in the area, under the Safe schools Initiative was confusing.
Her words, “We are very pleased to have this unexpected visit from you. We are very happy that you came all the way from Chibok to make your position on this matter clear. I will relate it to Mr. President. It was very confusing when we heard that Chibok community rejected re-construction of the school.
“Getting our children back to school cannot be politicized. Save Schools Initiative is not about politics. It is about development”.
The minister said that there were about 3, 000 school age children who needed to be returned to school in the area and as such steps would be taken to urgent get them back to classes.
