As
Nigeria marks the third anniversary of the abduction of 276 Chibok
schoolgirls, President Muhammadu Buhari has said government was willing
to bend over backwards to secure the release of the remaining girls.
President Buhari
MESSAGE BY PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI ON THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF THE ABDUCTION OF THE CHIBOK SCHOOLGIRLS, APRIL 14, 2017
On April 14, 2014, Nigeria suffered one of the worst crimes
committed against its citizens - the abduction of schoolgirls from
Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, by the vicious
terrorist and insurgent group, Boko Haram.
Upon the inception of this administration in May 2015, it will be
recalled that this militant group occupied no fewer than 14 Local
Government Areas in the North East of the country and posed a serious
threat to other parts by unleashing fear and mayhem through the use of
surprise and suicide bombing.
The menace of this terrorist group was a great challenge to the
resolve of our administration to implement the Change Agenda. We,
therefore, pledged to reverse the situation, which constituted a threat
to the sovereignty of the country.
We were determined to secure the release of the Chibok girls and
others forcefully abducted from their homes and communities and retake
the occupied territories.
Determined to secure the freedom of the abducted girls and recover
lost territories, this administration gave the necessary political and
logistical backing which energised gallant members of our armed forces
and other security agencies to overrun the headquarters of Boko Haram in
the Sambisa Forest and scatter the terrorists from their strong base.
Today, the group has been degraded and is no longer in a position
to mount any serious, coordinated attack, other than sporadic suicide
attacks on soft targets. Even at that, their reach is very much confined
to a small segment of the North East where they had previously held
sway unchecked.
Nigeria and indeed the entire world, must however, recognise that
terrorism has no borders and remains a growing concern which calls for
collective efforts to curtail. I, therefore, call on all Nigerians and
residents in the country, to remain extra vigilant and report any
suspicious element or group to the security agencies. We cannot afford
to let down our guards. Under my watch, no group will hold the country
to ransom.
On the Chibok girls, we have had reason to celebrate the return of
twenty-four of them and thousands of other Nigerians who were forcibly
abducted by the terrorists.
As a parent, I am eternally grateful to God that some of the girls
were found alive and have been reunited with their families. Government
is doing all within its powers to reintegrate the freed girls to normal
life. Furthermore, Government is in constant touch through negotiations,
through local intelligence to secure the release of the remaining girls
and other abducted persons unharmed.
My special appreciation goes to the parents and families that have
endured three years of agony and waiting for the return of their
children. I feel what you feel. Your children are my children. On this
solemn occasion, my appeal is that we must not lose hope on the return
of our remaining schoolgirls.
Our intelligence and security forces, who have aptly demonstrated
their competence, are very much equal to the task and absolutely
committed to the efforts to find and return the schoolgirls and others
abducted by Boko Haram.
I also thank Lake Chad Basin countries, friendly nations and
international partners, who at various points in the last three years
have offered their support for Nigeria.
Like I have repeatedly said, the Federal Government is willing to
bend over backwards to secure the release of the remaining Chibok girls.
We have reached out to their captors, through local and international
intermediaries, and we are ever ready to do everything within our means
to ensure the safe release of ALL the girls.
I wish to reassure the parents of the Chibok girls, all
well-meaning Nigerians, organisations and the international community
that as a government, we are unrelenting on the issue of the safe return
of our children.
I trust God that soon, our collective efforts will be rewarded with
the safe return of our schoolgirls to their families, friends and their
communities.
MUHAMMADU BUHARI
President, Federal Republic of Nigeria
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