Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday said three lecturers of the
University of Maiduguri, 15 policewomen, 113 Chibok girls and other Nigerians
in Boko Haram’s
captivity would be freed soon.
This is just as the nation’s service chiefs arrived in Maiduguri, Borno
State, on Tuesday, five days after receiving a marching order from Osinbajo.
The Acting President, who addressed #BringBackOurGirls campaigners during
their march to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, said the Federal Government had
contacted negotiators across the world to ensure their release.
He added that the Presidency was working with negotiators who had in the
past assisted in securing the release of former hostages.
The Switzerland Government, the Red Cross and a Borno State-based lawyer,
Zannah Mustapha, helped to negotiate the release of 21 Chibok girls in October last year.
Mustapha was also instrumental in the release of 82 Chibok girls in May
2017, after three years in captivity.
Addressing the #BringBackOurGirls members, the Acting President said
negotiations were ongoing to secure the release of all Nigerians in Boko Haram
captivity.
Osinbajo, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Political
Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, disclosed that he had been meeting daily with
security chiefs to fast-track the release of all hostages being held by the
insurgents and kidnappers.
He lauded the BBOG agitators for their resilience, stressing that any
country that would develop needed such patriotic and committed citizens to
grow.
He said, “On the issue of the policewomen and the girls that are still
being held, the Acting President has been meeting with the security chiefs on a
daily basis and making contacts with negotiators across the world to secure
their release.
“We have not for any moment forgotten any of our children. In the last
two weeks, the Acting President has coordinated the release of the Lagos
students that were kidnapped.
“There is no way the Acting President or President Muhammadu Buhari will
say they are not concerned about the fate of every Nigerians that have been
taken by terrorists or kidnappers.”
The Acting President explained that the decision to withhold information
on the abducted citizens was for strategic security reasons, noting that a lot
was being done behind the scene to free those abducted by the deadly sect.
He reassured Nigerians that more or the rest of the Chibok girls would
soon be freed and reunited with their parents.
“The fact that we are not coming out to say what is being done is
strategic for security reasons; intelligence is being gathered, very soon, more
of the girls, if not all, will be brought back to their parents safely,” he
said.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin; the Chief
of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai; and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal
Sadique Abubakar, went into a “strategic meeting” as soon as they arrived in
Maiduguri, Borno State, on Tuesday.
It was gathered that the meeting was to review operational strategies and
initiate the rescue of the abducted University of Maiduguri lecturers.
The service chiefs, who met at about 11am at the Military Command and
Control Centre, also had discussions with the Operation Lafiya Dole Theatre
Commander, Maj. Gen. Attahiru Ibrahim, and other principal officers of the
operation.
“The highlights of the meeting were on identifying Boko Haram terrorists’
sleeper cell locations, flushing the group out of its concentration areas and
outpost locations, as well as fishing out the collaborators and informants to
the terrorists,” a source said.
The Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. John Enenche, who
confirmed the meeting, urged residents of Borno State to furnish the military
with the necessary information.
He said, “In compliance with the directive by the Acting President, Prof.
Yemi Osinbajo, to service chiefs to move to Maiduguri, the epicentre of the
northeast counter-insurgency operations, the service chiefs have commenced the
command and control of the operation.
“The CDS held a briefing with the COAS and the CAS, theatre commander and
other principal officers on the reviewed strategic direction and operational
plans.
“The armed forces reaffirm their commitment to ensuring that peace is
restored to the northeast.”
BBOG slams FG, police
The BBOG in a statement delivered by Co-convener, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili,
frowned on the failure of the Federal Government and the police authorities to
acknowledge the abduction of 15 policewomen by Boko Haram, which ambushed their
convoy on June 26, 2017.
She said the attitude was reminiscent of the denial that followed the
abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls by the government.
The group demanded the release of the women and the remaining 113 Chibok
schoolgirls, saying the pupils had spent 1,250 days in captivity.
The coalition flayed the government for risking the lives of citizens by
prospecting for oil in Boko Haram enclave.
“Your workers are in Boko Haram captivity and the Vice-Chancellor of the
University of Maiduguri said the search for oil would continue. The oil you
have exploited, what did you do with it? We must be an empathetic nation,”
Ezekwesili said.
However, when contacted on the role of Switzerland in securing the
release of the remaining hostages, the Swiss Embassy spokesman, Pascal Holiger,
said, “I can’t comment on the issue for security reasons. Besides, our mission
is not directly involved.”
Shortly after the release of 82 Chibok girls in May, Buhari had thanked
Switzerland, among others for its help in the release of the girls.
In a report published on May 9, 2017, by a United Kingdom newspaper,
IBTimes UK, the spokesperson for the Swiss Foreign Ministry, Noemie Charton,
said his country took part in the negotiations that secured the release of the
82 girls.
Also, the International Committee of the Red Cross said it was not
involved in the negotiations for the abducted UNIMAID lecturers.
The ICRC spokesperson, Ms Matijevic Aleksandra, stated this on Tuesday
when contacted for comment on the ongoing negotiations.
She said, “Negotiations are a political process and we are an
organisation which does not get involved in politics. Some confuse our role of
a neutral intermediary with that of a negotiator. These are two different
things.’’
Punch
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