The presidency on Monday said it was incapacitated in the rescue of the remaining Chibok school girls because it lacked intelligence report on the girls’ whereabouts.
It boasted that if such information on the true location of the girls was at its disposal, the rescue of the girls, believed to still be under the captivity of the Boko Haram sect, would have been a done deal.
Buhari spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, where he also criticised the BringBackOurGirls group, which had claimed that the presidency had been exhibiting ineptitude in its rescue effort for the remaining missing girls.
The BBOG had also alleged that government had been “lackadaisical” in its approach to the rescue mission.
“President Buhari will never make bogus promises or play to the gallery. It is misleading of anyone to preach that the Chibok girls are within an easy grasp. If the military under the president knew where they are held, they will bring the Chibok girls home today,” Shehu said.
It would be recalled that out of the 276 Government Secondary School girls abducted in April 2014 in Chibok, Borno State, only one of them, Amina Ali Nkeki, had been found by the military personnel deployed to fight insurgency in the North East.
The presidency said claims by the BBOG that government had broken all promises allegedly made to the group on the issue or that he (Buhari) has been “lackadaisical” in rescuing the Chibok girls were a calculated attempt to mislead the citizens into withdrawing their support for the government, particularly in the fight against insurgency.
“While their intentions are honourable, perhaps the BBOG leadership has not considered the collateral damage which must inevitably follow its riveting and dispiriting claim that the president has “broken all promises” allegedly made to the group on this issue. Or that he has been “lackadaisical” in rescuing the Chibok girls. The Federal Government’s focus has always been to free the Chibok girls alive and unharmed.
“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.
“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.
“Along with these ongoing efforts to rid our country of terrorists and terrorism, the Nigerian government is focused on the welfare and rehabilitation of rescued Nigerians, many of whom were found in a state of severe malnutrition and illness.
“The president is conscious always about the fact that terrorism in Nigeria is part of a global phenomenon. Since coming to office, his response to it has been firm and well considered.
“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.”
