The #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) group has commended President Muhammadu Buhari on his recent approach to the plight of the parents and families of the abducted schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno state.

This was contained in a review of the outcome of their meeting with the president  which was signed by its conveners Oby Ezekwesili, Aisha Yesufu and Hadiza Bala Usman.

The group charged President Muhammadu Buhari to visit the Chibok community to boost their confidence in his commitment to rescue the girls while adding that “the president failed to connect with the grieving parents.”

It reads: “As a movement we wish to unequivocally state that the meeting was markedly different from the last one of 8 July 2015 in many ways. At the last meeting, the manner in which the president took ownership of the tragedy even though inherited, the strong pledge that he made to the parents, community, and our movement to exhaust every option for our Chibok girls’ rescue, the obvious manner which his tone and message connected with the grieving parents, and his sense of urgency to bring positive closure resonated with our group.

 “This second meeting however was different, and the real victims are the 108 parents who set out seeking a boost to their failing hope after a year and nine months of agonizing for their 219 missing daughters.

“At the last engagement of 8th July 2015, the president impressed everyone by the apt attention he paid to each speaker, diligently took notes and meticulously responded to each subject that was raised. He had also commended our movement for holding government accountability, for our steadfastness in standing on the grounds of shared humanity to advocate for the Chibok girls, other victims of the insurgency, and the Northeast in general. Not so this time,” it said.

 “We also got the National Security Adviser (NSA) commitment to leading the institutionalizing of a structured feedback mechanism that would keep the parents, community, and our movement updated on progress being made with the federal government rescue operation.

“We have also understood that a proposal related to the rescue of our Chibok girls already approved by Mr President will be unveiled shortly. We were subsequently informed that a new investigation would be launched by the federal government into the abduction of our Chibok girls. The NSA pledged to work more closely with the parents, community.” 

Meanwhile, mixed reactions have continued to trail the meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari, #BringBackOurGirls Campaign group as well as parents of the adopted schoolgirls.

The meeting which took pace at the presidential villa, Abuja, comes 640 days after the dreaded Boko Haram sect abducted over 200 Nigerian schoolgirls from their school in Chibok, Borno state.

 Source: Naij