Another Chibok girl Serah Luka rescued; Amina Ali visits Aso Rock

The Nigerian Army said Thursday that   that another girl of the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State abducted by the Boko Haram two years ago had been rescued,  barely 24 hours after Amina Ali Nkeke was rescued by the combined military and Civilian JTF operations.

Army spokesperson, Col. Usman Sani, who  confirmed the rescue in statement, gave the name of the rescued girl as Serah Luka.

A total of 97 women and children were freed, and at least 35 Boko Haram fighters were killed, he added.

Serah is the daughter of a pastor; she had only started at the boarding school in Chibok a little more than two months before the Boko Haram raid. Usman said.

Usman’s statement reads,
“At about 11.00am today, Thursday, 19th May 2016, troops of 231 Battalion, 331 Artillery Regiment (AR), Detachment of Armed Forces Special Forces (AFSF) 2, Explosive Ordinance (EOD) Team and Civilian Vigilante group of Buratai, conducted clearance operations at Shettima Aboh, Hong and Biladdili general area in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State.

“During the operations, the troops killed 35 Boko Haram terrorists and recovered several arms and ammunition and other items. In addition, they rescued 97 women and children held captives by the Boko Haram terrorists.

“We are glad to state that among those rescued is a girl believed to be one of the Chibok Government Secondary School girls that were abducted on 14th April 2014 by the Boko Haram terrorists.

“Her name is  Miss  Serah Luka, who is number 157 on the list of the abducted school girls. She is believed to be the daughter of Pastor Luka. During debriefing, the girl revealed that she was a JSS1 student of the school  at the time they were abducted.

She further added that she hails from Madagali, Adamawa State. She averred that she reported at the school barely two months and one week before her unfortunate abduction along with other girls over two years ago.

Army authorities, who broke the news of the second rescued schoolgirl, said more details about the operation would be provided later.

President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier on Thursday said the rescue of Amina Ali, one of the over 200 girls kidnapped in their school in Chibok, Borno State, on April 14, 2014, had rekindled his hope that the remaining girls would be rescued alive.

He assured Nigerians and other stakeholders that his administration would do everything possible to rescue the girls from the captivity of Boko Haram.

Buhari spoke when he received the rescued girl at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The girl was led to the President's office by the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima; the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan Ali; the National Security Adviser, Babangana Monguno; and the Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonishakin, among other top government officials amidst tight security.

“Rest assured that this administration will continue to do what it can to rescue the Chibok girls who are still in Boko Haram's captivity. Amina's rescue gives us new hope and offers a unique opportunity to vital information,” the President told his guests.

Buhari said like all Nigerians and many others all over the world, he was delighted that Amina had regained her freedom.

He however said his feelings were tinged with deep sadness at the horrors the girl had had to go through at such an early stage of her life.

The President said although nothing could be done to reverse the horrors of her past, the Federal Government would do everything possible to ensure that the rest of her life took  a completely different turn.

While saying that nobody in Nigeria should be put through the brutality of forced marriage, the President said every girl had a right to education and their choice of life.

Buhari said, “Amina will get the best care that the Nigerian government can afford. We will ensure that she gets the best medical, emotional and whatever care that she requires to get full recovery and be integrated back into the society.

“Yesterday (Wednesday), medical personnel from government and other NGOs examined her for about five hours. Trauma experts from UNICEF also met her.

“The Federal Government will assist the Murtala Mohammed Foundation which has already been providing support for the families of the missing Chibok girls and which runs a trauma and counseling facility in Kano; we  will also be involved in the ongoing work with Amina in monitoring her progress and any additional support she requires.

“The continuation of Amina's education so abruptly disrupted will definitely be taken over by the Federal Government.

“Amina must be able go back to school. Nobody in Nigeria should be put through the brutality of forced marriage; every girl has a right to education and their choice of life.”