89 Chibok girls still missing10 years after abduction –Borno govt

AHMED MARI, Maiduguri

The Borno state government has said 89 out of the 276 Chibok school girls abducted exactly 10 years ago today (April 14) by Boko Haram are still missing.
At a press conference to mark the 10th aniversary of the abduction of the Chibok girls at the NUJ Press Centre, the Borno state Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar, who disclosed this, said “though the 10th anniversary came with a mixed feeling, we are not going to celebrate it, because we stiil have 89 out 276 school girls still missing.”
“Instead the Borno state government has organized a special.prayer for the safe return of the remaining Chibok girls and we urge Nigerians and people of Borno state in particular to pray for return of the Chibok girls and for the restoration of lasting peace in the state and the country at large”.
He said “the Borno State government is committed to rescuing the remaining Chibok girls and reuniting them with their families. We understand the pain and anguish that the families of those still in captivity are going through, this is our sorrow!”
“We also wish to use this occasion to take stock of the rescued girls and provide an update on how the girls are coming to terms with adjusting to normal life after captivity, and efforts of the Borno State Government to sustain the momentum on the rescue of the remaining girls.
“So far, out of the 276 abducted Chibok Girls,187 have been rescued and reunited with their families. Most of the rescued girls have, over the years, been enrolled in different schools or graduated under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs. A number of the girls have been enrolled into local and foreign scholarships or empowerment programmes. Many have since been reunited with their immediate families and are continuing to receive psychosocial support to reconcile them with normal life”, he said
He said “furrtherr more, 16 recently rescued girls are being rehabilitated by the Borno State Government and attending the 2nd Chance School where they learn skills in various vocations that will provide them with sustainable livelihoods, while their kids are also placed in nursery schools. Four rescued girls have voluntarily decided to return to their parents.
Going down memory lane, Prof Tar said “ten years ago, the Boko Haram insurgents criminally abducted 276 innocent girls at their hostels at Government Girls Secondary School Chibok. This painful date is engrained in our collective memory and we shall not rest on our oars until the last of our innocent girls are back home with their families.
“On this auspicious occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the abduction of Chibok Girls, the Borno State Government identifies and sympathises with all those who are affected by abduction”.
He assured the public that government shall continue to struggle to salvage the abducted Chibok girls, stressing that Borno State Government is committed to rescuing and reuniting the remaining Chibok girls and reuniting them with their families, as the government understand the pain and anguish that the families of those still in captivity are going through, as share their sorrow!.
According to him, with the combined efforts of the state government and security forces, intelligence agencies, as well as community support, all abducted persons will be safely returned..
He also assured that the government will not rest until every missing person is found and returned home safely.and called for unity and support from all citizens as they navigate these challenging times together.
On the return of IDPs to their ancestral homes, he said the State Government is fully committed to the return of all IDPs – both those in formal and informal camps – back to their ancestral homes, addi g that so far, over 90% of active IDP Camps have been decommissioned and the displaced persons resettled.
He said remaining ones shall be resettled within 2024 by the grace of God.
On the missing IDPs, Prof Tar said “it is important to clarify that while there have been cases of missing internally displaced people, the number, according to the available data, stood at 106 boys and girls, and so far 8 have since returned to their respective camps.
“On March 3, 2024, these youth left their camps to look for firewood in the bush far beyond the distance that security agencies permitted and considered secure. These IDPs may have come into contact with violent non-state actors in the bush.”
He also said “the Borno State Government is working closely with the Federal security agencies to safeguard the lives and property of the citizens in the state. In particular, the government is working on the rescue of the missing IDPs and all others in captivity. The government calls on all stakeholders, including the media, humanitarian partners, and the general public, to approach this issue with sensitivity and understanding. We must work together to address the root causes of displacement and provide support to those in need.”.
He said that despite the recent challenges in Ngala, peace has gradually returned to Borno state, and the “Build Back Borno Better Project” is on course, stressing that about a million IDPs have already returned to either their local government headquarters or ancestral homes.
“The Boko Haram insurgency is in its final days of extermination, degradation and decimation. Our gallant troops have worked tirelessly to weaken, degrade and downgrade the insurgency through a relentless counter-insurgency operations. The officers and men of the Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have given a good account of themselves. They have established a firm and effective presence in all territories that were hitherto disturbed by the insurgents. Today, our gallant troops have maintained a full presence in all the 27 LGAs of Borno State,” he further added.
On peace restoration and reconcilation efforts, Prof Tar said the Borno State government adopted a new initiative tagged “Borno Model”
“The Borno Model is a programme for voluntary reception, processing, rehabilitation and reintegration of those who are affected by, or trapped in the imbroglio of the Boko Haram Insurgency. The Borno Model was erected to provide a constructive solution to the vacuum created by the demise of the Boko Haram kingpin, and terror leader Abubakar Shekau.”
He said “the Borno Model is a child of necessity. It was born following an opportunity created by the demise of one of the factional commanders of the BHT Abubakar Shekau and following a combat stand-off between the Al-Bamawi and Shekau factions. A vacuum was therefore created by the leadership and command crisis within the BH sect. ”
“On 29 August 2021, the Borno State Government called a meeting of relevant stakeholders which led to the establishment of a special purpose vehicle for reconciliation known as the Borno Model to provide a corridor for willing repentant insurgents to return and surrender unconditionally to the Government of Borno State. The surrender process is a complex process involving initial surrender to military formations serving as the initial point of submission, transportation of the returnees to holding and processing facility at Hajj Camp Maiduguri where the returnees are received, profiled, processed and subjected to intensive programme of deradicalisation, civic education and entrepreneurship training.”
He said the Borno government adopted the model to provide platform and a sub-national space for a non-kinetic solution to the vestiges of Boko Haram Insurgency, without prejudice to the FGN DDRR infrastructure and the “Operation Safe Corridor” – a federal platform for the rehabilitation of ex-combatants.
He said “we know that terrorism is a federal crime and any initiative to counter terrorism and insurgency must conform with federal rules and norms of engagement.
“There are kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to preventing and countering terrorism. For the past one decade, the FGN has deployed federal troops under different code names to fight terrorism with mixed results.
“It is worthy of note that putting boots on the ground exclusively had its limitations; the wholesome application of kinetic approach has so far not yielded the desired result. The efficacy of non-kinetic approach has become imperative. This includes the battle for the hearts and minds of the people, Psychological operation (Psyops), dialogue, reconciliation, mediation and peace-making.” .