The Federal
Government has said the freed Chibok schoolgirls would not return to their former
schools in Chibok, Borno State.
Minister of
Women Affairs, Aisha Al-Hassan stated this while formally receiving the girls
from the director of the Department of State Services (DSS) Medical Centre,
Anne Okoroafor, at the National Women Development Centre, Abuja, yesterday.
The Federal
Government also clarified that the rescued 106 Chibok schoolgirls were not
under compulsion to remain within its care as any of them who wished to join
their parents was free to do so.
No fewer
than 219 girls were abducted from their school in April 2014. While the
government rescued 103, three others were said to have escaped from Boko Haram
captivity. At least 113 are still in the hands of the terrorists.
Although,
the rescued girls have met their parents under strict government supervision,
none of them has returned to live with their parents in Chibok.
The 82
girls, while in the custody of the DSS underwent several medical tests and treatment. Some of
the them were said to have had bullet
and bomb fragments in their bodies and were made to undergo surgeries.
The girls
were warmly received by their other 24 counterparts, who had been in the camp
since they regained freedom October last year.
Alhassan
explained that the girls who would be camped till September would undergo
remedial preparation in five subjects – English Language, Mathematics, Biology,
Agricultural Science and Civic Education – after which they would be enrolled
in schools in other parts of the country.
The minister
also said 20 teachers had been engaged for the girls who would be grouped into
four classes.
She
reiterated the resolve of government to give the best care to the girls through
the Presidential Rehabilitation and Re-integration Committee headed by Acting
President Yemi Osinbajo.
Alhassan
further disclosed that a fully-equipped medical facility has been set up at
their camp with two doctors and two nurses, while the National Hospital,
Federal Staff Clinic and the DSS Medical Clinic, were open to handle referral
cases.
She added
that an ambulance would be dedicated to the facility for emergencies.
As part of
the comprehensive rehabilitation package, the minister disclosed that each of
the girls would receive compulsory training in information and communication
technology as well as two other skills of their choice.
“Here, we
have 24 girls; remember that these were rescued last year. They are being
joined today by 82 others, who have been certified fit to live on their own;
they don’t have any medical issues any more apart from the one that we need to
put a limb for. This place is their common room; it will accommodate the 106 of
them.
“We have
more handlers for the girls now; more doctors, nurses and matrons. And the
programme will end at the beginning of next academic year in September when we
will enrol all of them back to school,” Alhassan stated.
She further
explained that the 24 others had missed the 2016/2017 school year because by
the time they were ascertained fit by the experts, the academic year had gone
far.
Shedding
light on the condition of the 82 girls, Dr. Okoroafor who took care of them in
the last three weeks, confirmed that they were fit for the programme.
“We have
done the needful for them, profiled them and done all the investigations;
whatever we found out during the investigation, we have treated them. Some of
them require ongoing medical treatment like you can see one of them has problem
with her hand; one is an amputee and one or two others who have some medical
issues that we are still treating them for. But I can say to you that they are
all stable and comfortable for us to release them. They are stable not just
medically but psychologically”.
Representative
of the Acting President, Mr. Nicholas Audifferen assured that government would
stop at nothing to ensure the girls attained whatever heights they could.
The United
Nations Children’s Fund’s (UNICEF) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA),
which had been partnering the ministry, were represented by Mr. Samuel Manyok
(Child Development Specialist) and Mr. Eugene Kongnyuy, respectively.
There were
indications that henceforth there will be tight security at the camp.
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