The Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) campaigners have been lambasted over their call that President Muhammadu Buhari should resign from office if he cannot rescue the Chibok Girls. This call was made by The Global Excellence Foundation.
Country Representative of the foundation, Prof Yemi Ola while briefing journalists in Abuja said it is on record that securing the release of the girls from captivity has been a major priority of the President Buhari administration.
He said, “We understand that there is some measure of frustration in the land that the girls are yet to be freed up until this moment and we further appreciate the anguish of parents who had thought their nightmares would have been over by now. This anguish has only been further worsened by the video that the terrorists recently released of the girls.”
He however said the call by the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) group for President Muhammadu Buhari to resign if he cannot secure the girls’ release is therefore condemnable in the strongest terms possible.
He said such call marks the height of ingratitude to the President, the Nigerian Armed Forces and the families of those of those who lost their loved ones fighting for the rescue and liberation of the north east zone from Boko Haram insurgents.
He said, “It is even more worrisome that BBOG appropriated the identities of parents of the missing girls to make that demand since the parents have already indicated that they would rather not be confrontational with the government and the military that have been doing their best to free the girls.”
He said Nigerians must appeal to BBOG and Ezekwesili not to further take steps that continue to jeopardize the safety of the girls or the possibility of their being rescued, adding that it is also suspect that the group makes it seem like normal to openly discuss the sensitive details of what is being done to rescue the girls.
He therefore suggest that the parents of the Chibok Girls should press ahead with the closed door talks they plan to have with the government devoid of any taint from BBOG, adding that they should concentrate on discussing specifics with government officials and the military so that they can arrive at practical approaches and solutions that will ensure the girls are rescued.
He said, “This should also henceforth be devoid of those exploiting them and their daughters’ plight for propaganda value.
We urge the government to make sure that the confidence the parents have expressed in them is not for nothing. President Buhari must designate officials with strict instructions to sustain an open line of communication with the parents. The issue of how to rescue the girls or discussing the progress being made is too sensitive to be discussed at the approach of the Presidential Villa during protests.”
