Chibok Girls Swapping: Statement Lacks Conviction, Decisiveness, And Strong Ownership – Bbog Tells Presidency

SAN FRANCISCO, August 31, (THEWILL) – The Bring Back Our Girls BBOG movement has declared a statement credited to President Muhammadu Buhari over the Chibok girls swapping as too tentative and lacking of the conviction, decisiveness, strong ownership, and urgent actions required to rescue the girls.

The movement made this known in Abuja, in an address, jointly signed by its leaders, Oby Ezekwesili and Aisha Yesufu, during another failed attempt to march on the Presidential Villa saying no evidence of persuasive, deliberate and result- targeted action has been conveyed by the president.

They added that the Government should seize the initiative in rescuing the 218 abducted Chibok school girls rather than granting unnecessary powers to the abductors, the Boko Haram sect, by asking them to determine the rescue options.

“We fail to understand why our Federal Government is giving so much powers to determine process and first mover actions to the terrorists,” the group said.

“We have always maintained that the President has the powers to assemble all relevant intelligence assets required for determining the best action in terms of lowest risk option.

Many countries with superior capabilities have indicated willingness to help our Government gather security and intelligence assets on this and other related North East challenges.

“We were therefore extremely shocked to read Mr. President state that 'some of the information about the division in Boko Haram is already in the press and I have read it in the papers about the conflict in their leadership'.

“Are we right to conclude from that statement that our President merely relies on newspaper reports like the rest of the Nigerian public for information on such an important and monumental tragedy? This is a grave basis for concern to our movement.

“So, while we welcome the statement, we counter that it sounds too tentative and lacking of the conviction, decisiveness, strong ownership, and urgent actions required to #BringBackOurGirls.

“This tragedy must no longer be allowed to linger any further! It is time to act with the fiercest urgency and the authority that must lead this action is our President, Commander – in-Chief – of-the-Armed-Forces.”

The movement later embarked on a silent” processional demonstration in which they used tapes to cover their mouths at the entrance of the presidential villa after they were for the third time barred from gaining entry.

Story by David Oputah.