The #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) group has stated that its movement has no ulterior motive other than its well-known cause; to bring back the 219 abducted Chibok school girls to their families.In a press release, signed by the group’s leader , Dr Oby Ezekwesili, in response to the Defence spokesman, Major-General Chris Olukolade’s letter to the group, she stated that the group’s only focus was the Chibok girls, adding that it was not influenced by anyone as averred by Olukolade.

“We received a correspondence from Major-General Chris Olukolade, the Defence spokesman, dated 14 May, 2015 and have replied to same dated 19 May, 2015.

“In response, we deny in the strongest terms that our movement has any ulterior motive other than a well-known cause; nor are we “influenced” by anyone as averred by him,” she said.

Ezekwesili added that the group was driven by and hinged on its core values which define it adding that the information it deploys was accessed from credible and open media sources available to everyone, including releases by the military.

“It may be of interest to know that all our statements and posts on social media undergo stringent, rigorous in-house quality control measures, and are released with all sense of responsibility. We stand by each of them,” she said.

The group added that contrary to what was averred in General Olukolade’s letter, it held the military in the highest esteem and have expressed and demonstrated same repeatedly as evidenced in its statements and activities, all documented.

“Unfortunately, the repeated falsehoods and inconsistencies emanating from our military have tended to dim this noble image,” she said.

She added that the group was saddened that it could receive a 4-page correspondence from the Director, Defence Information but not one sentence acknowledging its anxiety of an update on the rescue of the ChibokGirls who had been missing for over 400 days and wonders when it will be getting concrete responses to the concern of the group.

Part of the letter to Gen Olukolade from the group read,” Our #BringBackOurGirls movement is a Citizens- led movement with open membership of all citizens who choose to identify with the cause of our 219 #ChibokGirls. No one individual or group of persons within the Movement can determine the direction or position of our Movement on the issues we advocate. This is because, the basis of all our decisions is Collectivism. Moreover, both our Movement and our members are guided by a set of Core Values of Hope, Unity, Motivation, Affability, Nationalism, Integrity, Transparency, Empathy, Equity, Discipline and Sacrifice (HUMANITEEDS) in our advocacy.

“In our public and private communication, we are also guided by our rule of highest respect for adherence to the sanctity of facts or empirical evidence rather than anecdotes. Our communications- statements, briefs, member representations – all pass through one of the strongest internal quality control processes to ensure accuracy in our messages.

“Therefore, we wish to strongly assure you that #BringBackOurGirls has never and will never be susceptible to the kind of influence of any one or group of individual(s) engaging in a “hate campaign against you or our military”. Such an act would contradict our Core Values and our strictly empirical advocacy for the Government and military to deliver on their duty. Thus, our singularity of purpose remains the rescue of our #ChibokGirls and all other abducted victims of the North East terrorist scourge. We shall continue to be civil and professional in our advocacy as we have widely been acclaimed to be since it commenced more than a year ago.”