Reps summon service chiefs
Military failed to act –Senators
Four more school girls abducted by suspected Boko Haram terrorists at Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok two weeks ago were yesterday rescued around Monguno area of Borno State.
This brings to 48, the number of girls that have escaped so far from the clutches of the terrorists, while 230 were said to be still missing.
Our correspondent gathered that the girls were rescued by some good Samaritans in a village near Monguno on Sunday before they were handed over to security operatives in Maiduguri, the state capital.
Monguno is located about 134 kilometres from Maiduguri, while Chibok is to the south and about 130 kilometres to the state capital.
The girls said they were abandoned in the bush by their abductors after they fell ill.
According to a source familiar with the matter, “About four abducted school girls who were smuggled out of Sambisa forest en route Monguno were in the last few days rescued by villagers, In fact, the girls who looked traumatised and frustrated were sighted on the outskirts of Monguno.
“Only one of them managed to talk and said they are students writing their final year exams in Chibok but were kidnapped by gunmen, and that when four of them developed serious illnesses while conveying them to unknown destination, they were later abandoned by their captors in the bush, before being rescued by some villagers”.
The source added that the four rescued students were in the custody of a female security officer and were receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Maiduguri.
He said that as soon as their condition improved, they would be handed over to relevant authorities for onward delivery to their parents.
The Caretaker Chairman of Chibok Local Government Area, Mr. Ba’ana Lawan, confirmed the development.
He said: “Yes, I also heard that four of the abducted school girls have been rescued in Monguno before handing them over to the security operatives.
“I was told that they are currently receiving treatment at one of the hospitals in Maiduguri due to the condition they found them. I quickly rushed to the hospital to verify such important information, but I was disappointed as I was not allowed and prevented from seeing or knowing the whereabouts of the girls by the security people and the hospital authorities.”
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives yesterday summoned the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh; Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin, and Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice-Marshal Adesola Amosu, over the abduction of the female students.
A motion that led to the summons was sponsored by Hon. Peter Biye Gumtha, who represents Chibok/ Damboa/Goza Federal Constituency of Borno State.
In his motion, Gumtha regretted that besides kidnapping the girls, their assailants torched market stalls and other property in the area, worth millions of naira unchallenged by the military.
Gumtha, whose emergency motion came under Order 8 Rule 9 of the House Rules, lamented the worsening insecurity in that part of the country.
Hon. Patrick Ikhariale from Esan/Iguebe Federal Constituency of Edo State regretted alleged double standards in the fight against terrorism in the North-East.
Minority Whip, Samson Osagie, in his contribution, said that the citizenry was at the mercy of terror merchants.
The Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Hon. Nnenna Elendu- Ukeje, recommended the collaboration of Nigeria with border countries of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and the United Nations Security Council in the fight against insurgency in the country.
The House, while adopting the motion, stated that it was aware that 43 of the abducted girls escaped from the hands of their captors and regained freedom, while 230 were still missing or captivity more than two weeks after the incident.
The House also called for the UN assistance and other partners in the West in tackling the burning terror onslaught in the North-East.
The House resolved after a two-hour deliberation on the motion to summon the service chiefs.
In the Senate, the three senators from Borno State, yesterday relieved gory ordeals of the abduction of the students on April 14.
In emotion-laden presentations, Senators Ali Ndume (Borno South), Maina Ma’Aji Lawan (Borno North) and Ahmad Zannah also disclosed how the abducted girls were being forcefully married out by their abductors.
The lawmakers also provided insights into the operations of the members of the dreaded sect, including the alleged complicity of the security agents, which had undermined the war on terror.
This was as all the senators called for immediate and concerted efforts by the security agencies to rescue the girls and end the menace of Boko Haram.
The senators spoke during a debate on a motion sponsored by the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma- Egba, and co-sponsored by all the 107 senators, with the exception of the Senate President, who by convention is not expected to be part of any motion.
The motion, entitled “Abduction of school children in Chibok, Borno State,” afforded the senators the opportunity to voice their condemnation of the act.
At the end of the debate, the senators jointly resolved to urge the Federal Government and the security agencies to intensify efforts at immediate rescue of the abducted students.
They also urged governments at all levels to provide adequate security for schools and public properties in their areas and places.
The lawmakers also resolved to advise the Federal Government and the security agencies to seek the cooperation and aid of the ECOWAS countries and the United Nations Security Council to deploy advanced technological measures, including dialogue towards rescuing the adopted children safely.
Senator Zannah, who opened the Pandora’s Box in his presentations, gave insights into the movement of the girls, right from the first day of their abduction, up till two days ago when the abductors of the girls began to give them out in forced marriage.
He said: “Since the beginning of this saga, I kept mute on this issue as far as press releases and press interviews are concerned. I have been constantly in touch with the security agencies, telling them the developments, the movement of the girls from one place to the other and then the splitting of the girls and eventually the marriage of these girls by the insurgents.
“What bothers me most is that whenever I inform them (security agencies) where these girls are, after two to three days, they will be moved from that place to another and still, I will go
Source: National Mirror
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