Few days after the world commemorated the third year of the abduction of Chibok girls from their dormitory in Borno state, Nigeria’s defence minister, Brig.-Gen. Mansur Ali (rtd), has said rescue efforts may take years to yield results.
Boko Haram had on April 14, 2014, seized over 200 girls from the Chibok secondary school. Some escaped while government negotiated the release of some others in 2016. Two were rescued by the Nigerian Army in areas close to Sambisa forest.
As the nation and indeed the world marked the third year of their abduction, President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo stated that negotiations were ongoing to secure the release of the girls.
The defence minister while speaking to VOA’s Hausa Service in Yola on Tuesday which was monitored by The Nation, however, stated that the military was committed to finding the girls and still combing Boko Haram hideouts in the Sambisa Forest.
“It took the U.S. up to seven, eight, up to 10 years before they could get to bin Laden. We are continuing our campaign in the Sambisa Forest in all its nooks and corners,” Ali said.
Meanwhile, members of the civil society especially the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) continue to demand urgent action from government to rescue the nearly 200 Chibok girls still in captivity.
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