Saraki speaks on Chibok girls

President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki has called for concerted
efforts to rescue the remaining 112 Chibok Girls and the Dapchi
schoolgirl, Leah Sharibu, from Boko Haram's captivity.

Saraki said that this would require the collaboration of governments,
security agencies, religious and community leaders.

DAILY POST Recalls that Ahmed Sakilda, a Nigerian journalist believed
to be based in Dubai and self-acclaimed negotiator in the Chibok girls
saga, had disclosed that only 15 of the remaining 113 abducted Chibok
schoolgirls in captivity of Boko Haram were believed to be alive.

In a statement issued through his Special Adviser on Media and
Publicity, Mr Yusuph Olaniyonu, the senate president said though four
years had elapsed since the sad incident of the Chibok girls' kidnap,
"it must not dampen efforts being made to see the girls rescued and
reunited with their families and loved ones''.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Saraki noted with sadness the
plights of the Chibok girls' parents, whose daughters were not yet
back and the anxiety they have had to endure all these while.

He called on the parents to remain steadfast as government would never
relent in its efforts to see their daughters back home safely.

"As a parent, I feel the pains of these unfortunate young girls from
Chibok and the latest one – Leah Sharibu – from Dapchi, their parents
and the people and Governments of Borno and Yobe States over these
harrowing experiences.

"However, all hope is not lost. We are all involved in this. Their
return will give us joy while their continued stay in captivity will
inflict us with perpetual torment of failure.

"This is no time for blame game or passing the buck.

"We must all gear up and work together to see these girls rescued
within the shortest possible time.

"I believe that the last four years have given us ample time to
reflect on the calamity, review our modus operandi – politically and
militarily and resolve to ensure that all Nigerians are adequately
protected.

"Let's fine tune the strategies that have won us successes and discard
those that have failed us,'' Saraki said.

According to him, the goal and focus must be clear; to rescue our
girls and all those in forced captivity in any part of the country,
and ultimately, to restore our pride as a sovereign entity.

"This is the time for all stakeholders to retool and re-strategise to
ensure that all these girls are not only rescued, but do all in our
power to put a closure to all cases of kidnapping and insurgency in
this land," he said.

The president of the Senate called on all Nigerians who could help to
come to the aid of the government and the security agencies on how to
rescue the girls.

He also urged security agencies to keep people abreast of developments
about the issue to avoid speculations and talks like the one
insinuating that many of the girls might have died.