Leke Baiyewu, Abuja
The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has called for concerted efforts by the government, security agencies, religious and community leaders to rescue the remaining 112 Chibok schoolgirls and the last Dapchi girl, Leah Sharibu, from Boko Haram’s captivity.
Saraki, in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja on Sunday said even though four years had elapsed since the Chibok girls were kidnapped, it must not dampen efforts being made to rescue them and reunite them with their families and loved ones.
He noted “with sadness” the plight of the Chibok parents whose girls were not back and the anxiety they had been enduring all the while.
The Senate President called on the parents to remain steadfast as government would never relent in its efforts to get their daughters back home safely.
Saraki said, “As a parent, I feel the pains of these unfortunate young girls from Chibok and the latest one, Leah Sharibu, from Dapchi; their parents and the people and governments of Borno and Yobe states over these harrowing experiences.
“However, all hope is not lost. We are all involved in this. Their return will give us joy, while their continued stay in captivity will inflict on us perpetual torment of failure.
“This is no time for a blame game or passing the buck. We must all gear up and work together to see these girls rescued within the shortest possible time. I believe that the last four years have given us ample time to reflect on the calamity, review our modus operandi — politically and militarily — and resolve to ensure that all Nigerians are adequately protected.
“Let’s fine-tune the strategies that have won us successes and discard those that have failed us. The goal and focus must be clear —to rescue our girls and all those in forced captivity in any part of the country, and ultimately to restore our pride as a sovereign entity.”
Saraki further said it was the time for all stakeholders to retool and re-strategise, to ensure that all the girls were rescued alive.
He also called on all Nigerians who could help to come to the aid of the government and the security agencies on how to rescue the girls.
The Senate President also urged security agencies to keep people abreast of developments on the issue “to avoid the speculations and talks like the one insinuating that many of the girls may have died.”
Punch
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