Human rights activists under the umbrella of #BringBackOurGirls campaigning for the rescue of 276 girls abducted from the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, on Friday reminded the Federal Government that 113 of the girls are still in captivity three years after their abduction.
The group declared that such a situation was unacceptable, and reminded the Muhammadu Buhari-led government of its promise to rescue the girls.
In a statement signed by two of its leaders Aisha Yesufu and former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, #BringBackOurGirls said 1200 days was too long a time for the government to still wallow in excuses.
Below is the full statement
1200 days too long, no more excuses!: #BringBackOurGirls
Today is Day 1200 since the abduction of our 276 #ChibokGirls in their school, Government Secondary School Chibok, 57 escaped, 219 were missing for over 2 years. A total of 106 are back but 113 remain with terrorists for 1200 today. It is also Day 785 that our 113 #ChibokGirls are missing under President Muhammadu Buhari’s watch.
In his inaugural speech on May 29, 2015 President Muhammadu Buhari pledged, ‘But we cannot claim to have defeated Boko Haram without rescuing the Chibok girls and all other innocent persons held hostage by insurgents. This government will do all it can to rescue them alive.’ This same pledge was repeated to the Chibok parents by the President on at least 2 occasions in our presence as a movement. It must not be reduced to a partial outcome for some parents.
Rebecca Samuel, mother of Saraya Samuel cried out, ‘Three years is not three minutes, is not three hours, is not three days, is not three weeks, is not three months . . .’ 1200 days is not just a number for the grieving parents of our 113 missing #ChibokGirls, it has been 1200 days of continuous anguish, 1200 days of captivity for our girls.
We are dismayed by the absolute lack of capacity to learn from previous mistakes in handling parents, families, and the public who deserve a system of update on rescue operations. Likewise the abysmally poor attitude to dignity of life by our governments as expressed in the continuing actions of kidnappers and terrorists as seen with 6 Lagos schoolboys and the women abducted on Borno-Adamawa road. Not only that, the increased spate of terrorist attack in the northeast and unfortunate departures especially of our men and women in uniform.
As part of our duty as a citizens’ movement to ensure that the federal government never forgets, never becomes complacent, never relapses into inertia as they are always wont to, our movement shall be back on the street on Tuesday 1 August on a march to the State House, from 9 am. Our last series of activities were in April, almost 4 months ago after which we settled for our ever daily sit-outs at the Unity Fountain, watching, observing, and giving time. We are convinced that we have met with every benchmark of reasonableness and deem it necessarily to engage thus at this time.
Signed: For and on behalf of #BringBackOurGirls
AISHA YESUFU
OBY EZEKWESILI