SAN FRANCISCO, July 11, (THEWILL) – The Presidency has tackled the #BringBackOurGirls group for criticising President Muhammadu Buhari regarding the rescue of the girls abducted from Government Secondary School Chibok in April 2014 saying claims by the group were dispiriting and capable of causing collateral damage.
Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, made this known in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday where he called on the group to continue to support the government in the ongoing effort to free all Nigerian citizens taken captive by the Boko Haram terrorist group.
He described as untrue the group’s claims in a recent statement that Buhari had “broken all promises” made to the group about rescuing the missing Chibok girls and “that the government had been lackadaisical in the rescue mission.
“The past year of this administration has seen the Nigerian military step up bombardment of the Sambisa Forest, a stronghold of the Boko Haram terrorist group, leading to the capture of hundreds of insurgents,” he said.
“Also, records from the army show the rescue of no fewer than 15,000 captives, mostly women and children from the terrorists from February to date.
“In addition, dozens of communities that were previously under the control of the terrorists have been liberated, allowing thousands of previously displaced citizens to return home and resume their normal lives.
“Thousands of these women and children freed from captivity have also been reunited with their families. This huge number of rescued women and children may not be prominent names, and their disappearance may not have generated any massive media attention and campaign.
“However, their liberation is just as important as that of every other missing woman and child, and a testament to the devotion of our military personnel who daily risk life and limb in the effort to bring back every Nigerian citizen kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists.
“The federal government’s focus has always been to free the Chibok girls alive and unharmed.
“It is misleading of anyone to preach that the Chibok girls are within easy grasp. If the military under the President knows where they are held, they will bring the Chibok girls home today.
“The Presidency is open to renew cooperation with the BBOG group, international bodies, religious groups, social workers, and all others who are assisting in the field to ensure that those who have so far been rescued from Boko Haram captivity are given the support they need to make a full recovery and be reintegrated fully into society.
“Groups such as the BBOG can also lend a helping hand to military families whose losses need to be appreciated and focused upon.
“The life of every single Nigerian matters to this government and the security agencies, under the command of President Buhari, will continue to exert all its powers to ensure that every Nigerian is safe from the brutality of terrorists and terrorism.”
