The National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) has assured Nigerians that efforts to rescue the remaining 87 Chibok schoolgirls, Leah Sharibu, and other kidnap victims still held by terrorists and bandits remain ongoing.
The National Coordinator of the Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser, Major General Adamu Laka, said the federal government and security agencies have not given up hope of one day reuniting all victims with their families.
According to him, “The armed forces and other security agencies have not relented; hence, in the past, aid workers of UNHCR, IOM, and others in captivity, particularly some Chibok girls, were rescued through negotiations, operations, and others. But we have not given up hope in our efforts. Even in the case of Leah Sharibu, we are still on it. The fact that we are not in the news talking about this should not be interpreted as ,it is a forgotten issue.”
Responding to concerns that the plight of the kidnapped girls may have been forgotten, Major General Laka emphasised that the rescue process has always been gradual. He said, “Since when they were kidnapped, those who were rescued were not just rescued at one time. It was a gradual process. Negotiations were done, trying to get them out. Operations were conducted also. Some were rescued.
“Luckily, at the beginning of that incident, towards the year after they were kidnapped, I was in the theatre, and I know what the military and intelligence agencies put in to rescue the initial set of the Chibok girls. No, we haven’t given up hope on them.
“Some of them were married to some of the insurgents. Some have come out. But let our focus not only be on the Chibok girls. There are others that have been kidnapped. Aid workers, Nigerian aid workers that were kidnapped. We’ve rescued some that are working for UNICEF. We’ve rescued some that are working for UNHCR and IOM and so on.
“Do you understand? So, we haven’t relented on our efforts. There is the issue of this Leah Sharibu. So because it’s not always in the press does not mean we are not always talking about it. It doesn’t mean we don’t care. It doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten about them. We are still on it.
“Our prayer is that the whole 87 or 80-plus kidnapped girls that are left will be rescued, by God’s grace.”
