Welcome Chibok Girls

Three years after the unfortunate event where well over 200 girls were abducted from their school in Chibok, Maiduguri, hope has been rekindled when 82 of them were released earlier this month.

One cannot imagine the gross pain the families of these lost ones must have felt; the uncertainty of the fate that may have befallen them and the slowly fading hope of ever seeing them again. Indeed, it is causes like the #Bring Back Our Girls Campaign have stopped us from forgetting those girls and the horror they and their families pass through.

But now that a great number of them have been released, maybe, just maybe the remaining 113 will also make it to safety soon. However, for now, all hands have to be on deck to ensure these recently released girls are fully integrated into society without the vestiges of the trauma they must have gone through.

I recall that when 21 when release in October 2016, so many conspiracy stories were spun, likewise this time around. But then, what do we expect? Almost everything is politicized in Nigeria, in fact, in all parts of the world, it is a common practice. Therefore, the point of interest should not be the intricacies of how the negotiations were done, the lies that may have been told or how convenient it is that the releases seem to happen only in May or October when important events like Democracy Day or Independence Day are celebrated.

Supposing you were one of those girls or a family member, would you care what political charades are being performed right now? All that matters is that they are back. Let us be happy about that, pray for the remaining then deal with the inconsistencies in the narrative later. Let us all say instead, “our dear Chibok girls, you are welcome home”.

Federal Government Bars Chibok Girls From Sharing Experiences With Parents

A relative of one of the rescued Chibok girls, Peter Joseph, says the Federal Government has barred the girls from telling their parents or relatives about their experiences in Boko Haram captivity.

Joseph said this during a programme on Al Jazeera titled, “The Stream.”

He said his niece was one of the 21 schoolgirls rescued in October 2016 while his sister is still in Boko Haram captivity.

Joseph said over six months since their rescue, the schoolgirls had not been united with their families.

He said in December last year, the girls were allowed to return to Chibok but were kept in a government facility where their parents visited them. He said the girls were not allowed to go to their parents’ homes.

Joseph said, “I think there is something that the Federal Government does not want us to know and that is why they are keeping them away. Even when they [the schoolgirls] travelled to Chibok, they were not allowed to go to their houses.

“They were kept in government facilities in Chibok and anyone who visited them was made to sign a register, state the village where they came from, whom they wanted to see and then a time limit was given, after which you were asked to leave and there were certain things that you were not allowed to ask the girls.

“You can’t ask them about their experiences in Sambisa Forest. I mean, we don’t get it. Even now that 82 girls have been rescued, what has the government done about them? Up till today, the families have not met the girls.”

Joseph berated the Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Alhassan, for saying that the girls were free to leave the government facilities anytime they wanted.

He said, “The Women Affairs minister is not saying the truth about this. What does she mean by the girls can leave at anytime when they don’t even allow family members or people that are concerned about them to come close to them?

“I wish she was here so that I would be able to ask her some questions personally because this thing has been bothering us the members of the family. The fact still remains that the Nigerian government needs to be open to the family members; the government needs to be open to everyone that is concerned.

“We don’t get it. I mean, are you trying to hide something? Is there something they don’t want us to hear from the girls? What are they hiding from us?”

Joseph said it seemed the girls had been transferred from Boko Haram captivity to government captivity.

He said, “Nobody is allowed to see them. So, it’s like another imprisonment, but this one has to do with the government.”

However, a top government official told our correspondent that the girls were being kept away from their families and friends for security reasons.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak with the media, said the girls were being prevented to speak because investigations were ongoing.

He said, “We are preventing the girls from saying too much because we don’t want them to say anything about their location that could tip-off the terrorists. We are still negotiating the release of 113 girls and any sensitive information that is released could jeopardise negotiations or investigations.”

All efforts to get Alhassan proved abortive as her mobile phone was switched off as of the time of filing this report.

Watch Video Of Chibok Girls Holding AK-47, Explaining Why They Refused To Return Home

At least four Chibok girls kidnapped by Islamist terror group, Boko Haram in mid-April 2014, today appeared in the insurgent group's propaganda video explaining their decision not to join other abducted girls released last weekend.

The video was offered to SaharaReporters by Nigerian journalist, Ahmad Salkida, who is known to have unfettered access to the militant group.

The abducted schoolgirls, responding to questions posed by a male voice in the background gave their names and exact class level at Chibok Girls High School where they were kidnapped approximately three years ago.

In the video, the girl's detailed reasons they refused to join their colleagues who were recently freed in exchange for several detained commanders of the militant group.

See Photos Of The 82 Released Chibok Girls Meeting With Abba Kyari & Others In Abuja

The 82 rescued Chibok Girls have arrived in Abuja and are currently meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari. The girls are expected to meet with president Buhari by 4:00pm today.

Femi Adesina the special adviser to the president on media and publicity, confirmed the development on his twitter handle.

“82 Chibok girls now in Abuja. Received on behalf of the President at the airport by Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abba Kyari. Congrats Nigeria,” Adesina tweeted