The House of Representatives on Wednesday in Abuja urged the Federal Government to rescue of the Chibok girls in Borno before May 29. This resolution emanated from a motion of urgent public importance moved by Rep. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, (APC-Lagos), which was unanimously adopted by the house. Leading the debate, Dabiri-Erewa noted that it was exactly one year that more than 200 female students of the Government Secondary School, Chibok, were abducted by the insurgents.
She expressed regret that the girls were yet to be rescued or their whereabouts known till date, adding that the parliament was worried over their current status. “One year on, we don’t know whether they are dead or alive, married, pregnant or scattered in different locations. “It is one of the saddest happenings in our country.
“Imagine that your child is missing for a day; we must be able to know where they are and Nigerians should not forget these girls,’’ Dabiri-Erewa said. Similarly, Rep. Nnenna Ukeje (PDP-Abia) commended efforts of the conveners of the “Bring Back Our Girls Campaign Group’’ towards the rescue of the missing girls. According to her, scores of children have been killed, students maimed and people displaced by the insurgents.
“The Chibok girls’ incident it is too painful to remember,’’ Ukeje stated. Also, Rep. Friday Itula (Edo-PDP) said that the activities of the kidnappers of the girls remained a thorn in the flesh of the current administration. Itula appealed to the Federal Government to ensure the recovery of the girls before hand over date.
He, however, commended the efforts of the military in recovering communities that were captured by the insurgents. “One more step for President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration to go is to ensure the release of the girls. “I hope that by May 29 Nigeria will celebrate the recovery of the girls,’’ Itula added.
He further solicited the collective efforts of all Nigerians in ensuring that the girls were rescued alive. Rep. Nkoyo Toyo, (PDP-Cross River), described the abduction of the girls as a crime against humanity, calling for the prosecution of the perpetrators. “We abhor the nature of this crime and the perpetrators must be treated as criminals,’’ Toyo said. Speaker of the House or Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, said that the country would do everything to ensure the rescue of the girls.
According to him, as a nation, we must do everything humanly possible to recover these girls. “It is really sad we have gotten to this level,’’ Tambuwal said. He noted that the amendment of the anti-terrorism bill as well as passage of the defence budget without reductions was geared towards ensuring victory over insurgency. “We had in the past done all we had to do. We pray that God shall not only touch the hearts of the kidnappers but guide the security operatives to rescue the girls,’’ Tambuwal said.
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