Atiku, BBOG, PPA, Olanrewaju, others applaud Buhari, military, over 82 Chibok girls release

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, #BringBackOurGirls Group and Progressives People’s Alliance (PPA) have commended the Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, for his giant stride over the release of Chibok girls abducted by Boko Haram since 2014 under the administration of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, among whom release of additional 82 was secured on Saturday.

The DEFENDER reports that Boko Haram members in 2014 abducted more than 200 secondary school girls of Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno.

Twenty one of the girls were released in October 2016, while President Muhammadu Buhari directed the security agencies to continue the search until all of the affected girls were released and re-united with their families.

In his reactions, former President Atiku, who said he received the news of the girls release with great delight, described the girls’ freedom from Boko Haram captivity after three years since their abduction as a development that showed what Nigeria could achieve as a nation when citizens united as one people around a common cause.

The chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in a statement he personally signed in Yola, Adamawa State capital, on Sunday.

Atiku said, “Nigerians stood together as a people and purposed to free these girls. Despite the many setbacks, hurdles and periods of discouragement, the government, civil society and the citizens all stood together, and today, we have this victory that we are enjoying as one people.”

The former Vice President lauded the efforts of the Muhammadu Buhari administration and the hard work of state security services, and the military, saying the government now has tangible results to show for all the persistence.

The Turakin Adamawa also hailed the #BringBackOurGirls group, which kept hope alive for the parents and the nation.

“However, I encourage that we must all not rest on our oars until the remaining girls still in captivity are released, so that we can finally have a closure on this sad chapter of our country’s history,” said Atiku.

#BBOG, Youn Women Political Forum react

The #BringBackOurGirls Group (BBOG) on Sunday applauded the Federal Government and security agencies on the release of the 82 Chibok girls.

The commendation came in a statement signed by the Convener of the group, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, in Abuja, on Sunday.

Ezekwesili said, “The Nigerian Presidency has confirmed that 82 of our missing 195 Chibok Girls have been released via a negotiated deal.

“The efforts were through the combined effort of security agencies, the military, the government of Switzerland, the Red Cross, local and international NGOs.”

She said the group members were delighted by the good news which followed the release of 21 girls in October 2016.

“We commend Mr. President, the Federal Government and all the other partners for this heartwarming development.

“We are also glad that the statement from the Presidency makes a strong commitment to rescuing the remaining 113 of our Chibok Girls that are still captives of terrorists.”

Also in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria the Convener, Nigeria Young Women Political Forum, Hajia Zainab Mohammed, commended the efforts of the Federal Government in securing the release of the girls.

“I am excited that the Nigeria security team are doing all they could to ensure our daughters are brought back from captivity. I am happy for the parents who are being reunited with their loved ones.

Mohammed said the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in collaboration with Ministry of Health should work together to provide the girls and their parents adequate psychological counselling.

She said the young girls would need psyco-dynamic counselling sessions before being re-integrated into their various communities.

‘Massive number’ sine FG has capacity – PPA

A chieftain of Progressives Peoples Alliance (PPA), in Enugu state, Mr Godwin Ezeemo, has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari, Red Cross and Non-Governmental Agencies for the release of 82 Chibok Girls.

Ezeemo told NAN in Enugu on Sunday that the release would help to check the emotional trauma the parents of the released girls might be facing for over three years.

He noted that the release of this “massive number” was an indication that the Federal Government and its partners had the capacity to release the remaining girls.

“I am overwhelmed with joy when I heard about the news.

“It is a good development, coming, timely, before emotional trauma sends the parents of these girls to their early graves.

“It is going to bring a lot of emotional and traumatic relief to these families that had anticipated the return of their daughters,’’ he said.

According to him, the release will also give Nigeria commendable respect in the international circle, once more.

Ezeemo, also a leading industrialist, commended the government of Switzerland for its“ special interest in ensuring a fruitful negotiation with the insurgents’’.

“I urge other countries and friends of Nigeria to follow the example of government Switzerland in helping Nigeria, practically, in solving its national challenges.”

Other eminent Nigerians who have lauded President Buhari and his team of government and security agencies over the additional release of 82 schoolgirls from Boko Haram captivity are former Minister of Communications, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (Rtd) and former Press Secretary to Head of State during the Olusegun Obasanjo’s military regime, Igwe Ezeoba Alex Nwokedi.

They see the new development as sign of many good things to come as they separately agreed that the government’s persistent efforts at ensuring not only that the girls are released but returned alive had proved to them that there was the political will to actually take Nigeria out of its complex situation to a better state.