• Troops rescue another schoolgirl in Borno
From Molly Kilete and Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Another cheery news broke yesterday night that another schoolgirl abducted by Boko Haram on April 14, 2014, has been found in Borno State.
Identified as Miss Serah Luka, she is said to be number 157 on the list of the abducted girls.
Acting Director of Army/Public Realations, Colonel Sani Usman confirmed the rescue at 11:30pm yesterday.
On Tuesday, Amina Ali-Nkek, alongside her four-month old baby, Safiya, were rescued by the Civilian JTF in Borno, after which she was taken to the state governor, Kashim Shettima who presented the duo to President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday.
On meeting Amina and her baby, in company with her family, Buhari showed fatherly care, yesterday when he directed that Amina must return to school. The President said, no girl child should be coerced into what he called “the brutality of forced marriage.”
Buhari said this when he received Amina, her baby, her mother and her sister led by the Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shetima.
Amina, who was initially covered in veil, arrived the forecourt of the Presidential Villa at exactly 2:40pm in company with her four-month-old baby, Shettima, her relations, Adiza Bala Usman and other officials of the #BringBackOurGirls Movement. The meeting lasted about two hours.
The president said he was delighted that Amina was free but sad at the horrors she had to go through so early in her life.
He vowed that though nothing can be done to reverse the horrors of her past, the federal government will do everything possible to ensure that the rest of her life takes a completely different course.
“Like others all over the world, I’m delighted that Amina Ali, one of the missing Chibok girls has regained her freedom. But, my feelings are stinged with deep sadness and horrors the young girl has had to go through at such an early stage in her life. Although we cannot do anything to reverse the horrors of her past, the federal government can and will do everything possible to ensure that the rest of her life takes a completely different course.
“Amina will get the best care that the Nigerian government can afford. We will ensure that she gets the best medical, emotional and whatever care that she requires to get full recovery and be integrated into the society.
“Yesterday, medical personnel from government and other NGOs examined her for a total of about five hours, trauma experts from UNICEF also met her. The federal government will assist the Kano-based Murtala Mohammed Foundation which has already been providing support for families of the missing Chibok girls. They will also be involved in the ongoing work with Amina, in monitoring her progress and any additional support she requires.
“Continuation of Amina’s education, so abruptly disrupted, will definitely be a property of the federal government.
“Amina must be able to go back to school. Nobody in Nigeria should be put through the brutality of forced marriage; every girl has a right to education and their choice of life.
“Rest assured that this administration will continue to do what it can to rescue the Chibok girls who are still in Boko Haram’s captivity. Amina’s rescue gives us new hope and offers a unique opportunity to vital information”, he said.
Shettima, in his remarks, said the president’s patience, persistence, perseverance, doggedness for the restoration of peace in the north east has started to yield dividend. He said a year ago, nobody could venture out of Maiduguri beyond 15 kilometers.
Defence Minister, Mansur Dan Ali disclosed that 69 soldiers have died since they embarked on the mission in the North East.
Ali said in the 22 days of the operations, 20 villages have been cleared of Boko Haram while 150 have been rescued.