99 Girls Schoolgirls Still In Boko Haram Captivity

yetunde oyeleke

April 19, 2014 3:32 PM

As many as 99 teenage girls abducted by suspected Bokon Haram insurgents from Government Girls Secondary School Chibok are still in captivity five days after their abduction

The Borno State Education Commissioner Musa Inuwa Kubo said, in a statement issued after claims of a military rescue, that the total number f those yet to be rescued stood at 99.

“By our records of 129 students being at the hostel at the time of that unfortunate incident, we are expecting the return of about 99 students who might be among those said to have been rescued by the Military.”

The Commissioner reiterated his claims that the military lied about rescuing a number of the girls.

“So we have not received any information that they have gotten the students yet. So let it be clear that all the information passed on the media by the military concerning 107 girls is not true,” Kubo said.

Speaking with an Abuja newspaper, the principal of GSS Chibok, Mrs Asabe Kwambura, said apart from the 14 students who escaped on the night of the attack, no more girls had been found."

“There is nothing in the military statement that is true about our abducted girls. Up till now we are still waiting and praying for the safe return of the students,” she said.

The Principal also added that the search for the missing girls is in progress.

“All I know is that we have only 14 of them, and the security people especially the vigilante and the well-meaning volunteers of Gwoza are still out searching for them. The military people too are in the bush searching.

Meanwhile, the military has debunked assumptions that the army intended to deceive the public over the matter by claiming to have rescued the girls.

“It has to be reaffirmed however, that the report forwarded to the public on this issue was in good faith and not intended to deceive the public as is being interpreted following the denials by the School principal and Government of Borno State.

“Like all other citizens, the military is deeply concerned to ensure that the students are safe and freed alive. The number of those still missing is not the issue now as the life of every Nigerian is very precious."

yetunde oyeleke