FG assures remaining abducted girls will be freed soon

dimeji akinloye

May 15, 2017 11:00 PM

The Perm Sec, Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that after their freedom, the FG would also ensure that the girls were freed from the ideological grips of Boko Haram.

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari (centre) met the 82 rescued Chibok girls after their release in a prisoner swap deal

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The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Sola Enikanolaiye, disclosed this on Monday, May 16, in his address to the UN Security Council’s open debate on "Women and peace and security: Sexual violence in conflict" in New York.

Enikanolaiye explained that after their freedom, the Federal Government would also ensure that the girls were freed from the ideological grips of the terrorist group.

"We seize this opportunity to assure you that following the recent release of 82 of the abducted Chibok school girls, government has intensified its efforts at securing the release of the abducted girls and the remaining ones, including freeing them from the ideological grips of Boko Haram terrorists," he said.

"Having regained their freedom, it is equally important that they regain their self-esteem and be assisted to return to their families and back to their schools.

"Furthermore, emergency teams of psycho-social counsellors and health professionals have been dispatched to the north east to assist with the profiling of victims for appropriate therapies,” he said.

According to him, Nigeria has carefully and favourably considered joining the existing 108 countries to sign up to the Paris Principle and Commitment on the protection of children in armed conflicts.

The Permanent Secretary pointed out Nigeria’s active participation at the international Ministerial Conference marking the 101h Anniversary of the Paris process held in February.

"It is our conviction that this step will help to strengthen Nigeria’s commitment to global frameworks in further preventing the recruitment and use of girl-children as child or female bombers by Boko Haram," he sai.

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According to him, Nigeria recommit to ensuring that women and girls enjoy full rights and that those who have perpetrated sexual violence are dealt with in accordance with our national laws and international obligations.

"In addition, the Government of Nigeria has put in motion legal remedies for victims of Boko Haram terrorism in the form of rape and other sexual violence against children, abduction of children and other grave violations.

"Other remedies of legal and social nature taken so far by the Federal Government include diligent prosecution of 203 detained Boko Haram terrorists in competent courts of law.

"As well as the reintegration, reorientation and rehabilitation programmes designed to meet the peculiarities of each victim of sexual violence."

To achieve an enduring result in the search for workable solutions to the challenges of sexual violence in conflict, he said priority must be accorded to addressing the enabling environment and underlying root-causes of conflicts.

This he noted includes, poverty, hunger, human rights abuses, injustice, unemployment, corruption, lack of inclusiveness and impunity.

dimeji akinloye