President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed disappointment at the way his predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, handled initial reports on the kidnap of the over 200 schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno State.
The president spoke yesterday when he met with the#BringBackOurGirls campaigners, who have been leading the crusade for the rescuing of the schoolgirls, who have been in captivity for 450 days, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The meeting was historic for the group as previous attempts to meet with Jonathan were rebuffed by his administration. On several occasions that they had attempted to meet with the former president, they were either chased away or barred from entering the State House.
The nearest the activists and the families of the Chibok girls had got to the State House was in October 2014 when the former president, rather than agreeing to receive them, sent a delegation comprising the then Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ms. Olajumoke Akinjide and former Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina, among others, to address the campaigners who had attempted marching on the State House to press home their demand. But at their meeting yesterday with Buhari, the president expressed regrets about the lethargy of the previous administration to finding the captive girls.
He said: “It’s unfortunate that the security and Federal Government’s conflicting reports initially presented the government and its agencies in a very bad light both nationally and internationally. This is so because the law enforcement agencies and the government were contradicting each other sometimes within hours or within weeks. That is not very impressive.
“The delay and late reaction by the immediate past government and its agencies were very unfortunate.” Buhari commended the former Education Minister, Mrs. Obi Ezekwesili, and her group for the consistency in drawing government’s attention to the Chibok girls’ kidnap and the parents of the girls for their patience.
“And I thank the leader of Chibok community for the articulated priorities he has drawn about welfare of the families, of the communities and rehabilitation of infrastructure. I think government should provide the infrastructure as a matter of right,” he said. Buhari assured the group that his
administration was serious in addressing all issues of insecurity in the country, not just in the North-East.
administration was serious in addressing all issues of insecurity in the country, not just in the North-East.
“I think you will agree that the present government takes the issue very seriously. Within a week of being sworn in, I visited Niger, Chad and would have visited Cameroon, but for the invitation of the G7 to go to Germany and listen to them.
“I’m very impressed with the leadership of this important group (G7) and the United Nations because they are very concerned about the security in Nigeria led by abduction of the Chibok girls by the terrorists. “When the terrorists announced their loyalty to ISIS, the whole attention again was brought squarely to Nigeria. And now we are rated with Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.
This is very unfortunate,” the president stated. He also told the group that strategies and tactics have been drawn, multinational task force has been put in place, headed by a Nigerian and with its headquarters in N’Djamena, Chad.
While presenting the demand of the group, Ezekwesili said the Federal Government should spare no resources in urgently rescuing the 219 Chibok schoolgirls as promised by the president and the National Security Adviser (NSA). The group requested for an apology for the failure of government that led to the abduction.
The 13-point demand includes immediate strategies for curbing the emergence and growth of curious sects, setting up of a structured feedback and communication system.
Other demands include the setting up of a Commission of Inquiry for Accountability on Abduction and Rescue of the girls. The commission will be charged with the task of transparently investigating and reporting on the security lapses that caused the abduction and the operational leadership failure that led to the long captivity of the Chibok girls in terrorists’ enclave.
The group also called for the setting up of a Missing Persons Bureau. Wife of a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mrs. Mariam Uwais, also presented to the president an overview of what the group stands for and development regarding the abduction of the April 14, 2014. Meanwhile, Boko Haram terrorists are offering to free more than 200 Chibok schoolgirls in exchange for the release of militant leaders held by the government, a human rights activist has told The Associated Press (AP).
The activist said Boko Haram’s current offer was limited to the Chibok girls. The new initiative reopens an offer made last year to the Jonathan government to release the 219 students in exchange for 16 Boko Haram detainees, the activist said.
The man, who was involved in negotiations with Boko Haram last year and is close to current negotiators, spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk to reporters on this sensitive issue. “Another window of opportunity opened” in the last few days, according to Fred Eno, who has been negotiating with Boko Haram for more than a year. He said he could not discuss details, but explained that the recent slew of Boko Haram’s bloodletting – some 350 people killed in the past nine days – is consistent with past ratcheting up of violence as the militants seek a stronger negotiating position.
Presidential spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina, had said on Saturday that Nigeria’s government “will not be averse” to talks with Boko Haram. “Most wars, however furious or vicious, often end around the negotiation table,” he said. Eno said the five-weekold administration of Buhari offers “a clean slate” to bring the militants back to negotiations that had become poisoned by the different security agencies and their advice to Jonathan. Eno told APC that as the president pursues a necessary military solution, he hopes Buhari also understands the need for negotiation.
He said the latest overture comes through respected Islamic scholars and Muslim elders who were ignored by Jonathan’s people, but now have taken dangerous and courageous steps to engage the insurgents.
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