Soldiers did not interview Chibok girls who escaped - Report

A BBC News report by John Simpson, World Affairs Editor, has revealed that the Nigerian Army or the DSS, did not interview the girls who escaped from Boko Haram’s captivity, three months ago.

The girls, who were kidnapped with others in a Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, three months ago, had, 320 km into their journey, managed to jump out of the trucks in which the terrorist were conveying them into the Sambisa forest.

This was revealed when Malala Yousafzai, who is currently in Nigeria to campaign for Chibok girls and girl child education, met with five of the girls.

Simpson’s report states: “Had any of the five girls been interviewed by the Nigerian army for information they might have about their Boko Haram captors? No, they said.

“Government officials deny they have been lackadaisical about investigating the kidnappings, and insist that everything is being done to trace the girls and get them back. But after 90 days it is hard to see what success the authorities have had”

At the meeting held at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, Malala, in company of her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, also met with 12 of the parents of the girls still in captivity.

The parents were tearful, deeply worried about what their girls were going through in the hands of the terrorists especially as reports make the rounds that they are being raped up to 15 times daily. Boko Haram’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, had also threatened to marry the girls out to other terrorist fighters and loyalists.

According to the BBC report, “The parents share a powerful feeling that in spite of their loss, they have been shut out and ignored. The government hasn't talked to them at any stage. It hasn't even shown them much sign of sympathy. Rebecca Samwell, a Christian, said they had heard rumours that some of the girls had been rescued; her missing daughter Sarah is 17, like Malala. "We simply aren't told what the truth is." One of the fathers, Malla Abu, asked: "Is it because we're poor country people that the government isn't doing anything? Suppose these were the daughters of someone important; would they still be in the forest after 90 days?"

 

Monday, July 14, 2014, had been designated by the United Nations as Malala Day. The girl-child education campaigner who survived the bullets of Pakistani terrorists two years ago, turned 17 on Saturday, July 12, 2014 and celebratd her birthday in Nigria where she is on a three day visit.