Rescue Of Chibok Girls, Leah Sharibu, A Must, Says Saraki; as FG discountenances Salkida’s claims

President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has called for concerted efforts by governments, security agencies, religious and community leaders, to rescue the remaining 112 Chibok Girls and the Dapchi school girl, Leah Sharibu, from Boko Haram’s captivity.

Saraki’s comments are coming as the Presidency questioned the integrity of claims by Ahmad Salkida, a journalist known to be close to the Boko Haram terrorist group, that only 15 of the 112 young school ladies abducted from Government Science Secondary School in Chobok, Borno State, four years ago may still be alive. He disclosed on twitter they may have been killed as a result of failed rescue attempts and bombardments.

Presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, said Saturday: “We wish to confirm that Mr. Salkida is not involved, on behalf of the Nigerian government in the processes leading to the release of the over 100 Chibok girls that have returned to their families, so far , and is not involved in the current processes to secure the release of those still held in captivity.

“If there is any information he has concerning the remainder of those girls, he has, up till this moment not approached the government of Nigeria with it. All press enquirers on the subject should therefore be directed to Mr. Salkida.

“The facts as known to our officials and the international contacts assisting this process are that the remaining Chibok girls are there and we are not relenting on getting their release.

“As stated by President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday, the government is not relenting. We will continue to persist, and the parents should please not give up. They are also advised not to lose faith in this government’s ability to fulfil its promise that the girls will not be abandoned or forgotten.”

Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, said even though four years have elapsed since the sad incident of the Chibok girls’ kidnap, it must not dampen efforts being made to see the girls rescued and reunited with their families and loved ones.

He noted with sadness the plight of the Chibok parents whose girls are not back and the anxiety they have had to endure all these while.

He called on the parents to remain steadfast as government will never relent in efforts to see 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 captiviy will inflict us with perpetual torment of failure.

“This is no time for 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 has 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.

“This is the time for all stakeholders to retool and re-strategize to ensure that all these girls are not only rescued but do all in our power to put a closure to all cases of kidnapping and insurgency in this land,” he said.

The President of the Senate called on all Nigerians who can help to come to the aid of government and the security agencies on how to rescue the girls.

He also urged security agencies to keep people abreast of developments about the issue to avoid the speculations and talks like the one insinuating that many of the girls may have died.