The Bring Back Our Girls campaigners today met with President Muhammadu Buhari charging him to deploy all resources at assuring the rescue of the abducted Chibok Girls.
Over 200 school Girls in Chibok, Borno State were abducted by the Boko Haram sect for over 400 days.
Led by its co-founders to the Villa, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili and Mrs. Mariam Uwaise, the group made 13 demands from the federal government.
The Group presented the following 13 demands:
*The Federal Government should spare no resources in urgently rescuing our 219 Chibok Girls as promised by the President and the National Security Adviser of the President at various times. Our Federal Government has the constitutional duty to give justice to our Chibok Girls by ensuring their immediate rescue. The rescue of OUR Chibok Girls will amount to the strongest statement that our Government has respect for the “Sanctity and Dignity of Every Nigerian Life.
*An apology for the failure of governance that led to the abduction.
*An apology for the failure of governance that caused failure to rescue our girls for over 400 days.
*Strategies for curbing the emergence, and growth of curious sects.
*Immediately set up a structured feedback and communication system that is composed of the Federal and Borno State Governments through designated security and ministerial authorities, the parents of the abducted girls, the Chibok (KADA) community, and citizens, through the BringBackOurGirls group. The feedback mechanism is so the Parents and the public can have regular updates on efforts to rescue our 219 Chibok Girls.
*We as a movement have designed a global best practice system of Verification, Authentication and Reunification System (VARS) abducted citizens who are rescued. The VARS is holistic for Rehabilitation, Reintegration and Resettlement of victims of abduction and can immediately be adopted by our Federal Government. To implement such a systemic approach of authentication we recommend that the Federal Government inaugurates a team comprising:
The National Security Adviser, Leaders of the Counter Insurgency Task Force, the Department of State Security on one hand; and State Governments of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, aided and supported by Local Authorities and Traditional Leaders, on the other hand and the representatives of abduction victims on the other hand. The Team should be tasked with credible implementation of the VARS. The primary task of the Team shall be to work with every abducted victim’s family and community to accurately ascertain the true identity of every such individuals and following their accurate identification to make available the comprehensive program for Recovery, Rehabilitation Resettlement and Reintegration to the rescued citizens. We advise that this system should be adopted for the 200 girls and 93 women rescued on the 28th April 2015.
The rehabilitation, resettlement and reintegration following their authentication should be implemented by both the Borno State Government and the Federal Government that make up the VARS Team and supported by development partners, NGOs and public-spirited Nigerians. Our movement, BringBackOurGirls, stands ready to support this initiative. Furthermore, grant access for BBOG to Chibok girls when rescued; thereby accepting our offer to support re-unification of rescued Chibok girls with their families as well their rehabilitation and reintegration.
*That the Federal Government will immediately set up a Commission of Inquiry for Accountability on Abduction and Rescue of OUR ChibokGirls. The Commission should be charged with the task of transparently investigating and reporting on the security lapses that caused their successful abduction and the operational leadership failures that led to their long captivity in terrorist enclave.
*That all Nigerians will join our BringBackOurGirlsmovement to continue to advocate for our 219 ChibokGirls until they are rescued and be prepared to embrace and welcome our Girls back home. That all Nigerians will join us demanding for the rescue of all other abducted citizens of our nation and their authentication and rehabilitation.
*Immediately set up a Missing Persons Bureau.
*Formally re-affirm the legitimacy and relevance of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign as a purely citizen contribution.
*Note, adopt and utilize BBOG Citizens’ Solution document to counter insurgency efforts.
*Note and adopt the #BringBackOurGirls Accountability Matrix with protocol, timelines and milestones to assist improve communication and synergy between all security structures and citizens.
*Consider the need for Community/Proximity Policing”
Government delayed action escalated the attacks.
While responding, President Buhari explained that he had been working round the clock to stem the tide of terrorism in Nigeria.
“I think you will agree that the present government take the issue very seriously. Within a week of being sworn in, I visited Niger, Chad and would have visited Cameroon but for the invitation of the G7 to go to Germany and listen to them.
“I’m very impressed with the leadership of this important group (G7) other than the United Nations itself. They are very concerned about the security in Nigeria led by abduction of the Chibok girls by the terrorists.
“When the terrorists announced their loyalty to ISIS, the whole attention again was brought squarely to Nigeria. And now we are rated with Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, this is very unfortunate.
“After Ramadan, I will visit Cameroon to see the President there and then Benin Republic. But the efforts we have been making, some we will disclose publicly because it will not be consistent with security. But I assure you that under the Lake Chad Basin Commission, the military have met. The ministers of defence have met. We the presidents have met here in Abuja except the President of Cameroon who was represented his Minister of Defence.
“Strategy and tactics have been drawn. Multinational taskforce has been put in place more or less with headquarters in Ndjamina with a Nigerian General as Commander. And then the troops delegated by each of the countries are to be put in place by the end of the month. And Nigeria, I assure you will do its best because we as I said are the battle ground and we are being helped by our neighbors”, he said.
