Chibok girls: We want our children back, not rebuilding burnt school — Parents

Almost one year after more than 200 secondary schoolgirls were abducted from their school in Chibok, Borno state by Boko Haram terrorists and their school set ablaze, members of the community and some of the distraught parents yesterday rejected attempt by the Federal Government to rebuild the burnt school insisting that all they wanted was to have their children back home.

Federal Government officials led by the Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had two weeks ago visited the Chibok community during which   she announced plans by the government to rebuild the school that was burnt by the insurgents as well as resettle some of the displaced persons.

Some parents of the 219 abducted schoolgirls and concerned members of Chibok community however yesterday condemned the visit by the Federal Government officials and the pledge to rebuild the school, insisting that what they wanted was to bring back their children.

The Caretaker Chairman of Chibok Council Area, Mallam Ba’ana Lawan accused the Federal Government of making failed promises of rescuing their 219 abducted schoolgirls.

“It is disheartening to inform you that since the abduction of these girls, the Federal Government did not bother to send delegations to Chibok to sympathize with the parents, instead, the parents were invited to Abuja and conveyed in cargo military plane with no comfort whatsoever.

“We still observed that recently, President Goodluck Jonathan visited Mubi and Baga, but failed to visit Chibok to sympathize with our people.

“It is most unfortunate that Chibok Local Government Area has witnessed six different attacks by insurgents and about 300 people lost their lives with property worth millions of naira destroyed, hundreds of houses razed down as well as food and cash crops looted. The most recent attacks being that of Gatamwarwa, Kautikari and other surrounding villages where several lives were equally lost. Yet there was no response from the Federal Government.

“We therefore condemn the move by the Federal Government to embark on the reconstruction of the school (GGSS Chibok)instead of bringing back our girls as severally promised”.

 He however appreciated the persistent efforts of the ‘#BRING BACK OUR GIRLS’ group in Abuja which has been mounting pressure on the Federal Government to intensify effort in rescuing the innocent girls as well as the media in their consistent effort to ensure that the girls are rescued.