Elder statesman and former federal commissioner of information, Chief Edwin Clark has decried the silence by the government over the rescue of the remaining abducted Chibok girls.
Clark stated this when parents of the Chibok girls paid him a visit at his home in Abuja to appreciate him over his continued demand for their rescue. Also present at the residence of Chief Clark was Gen IBM Haruna.
The elder statesman who reflected on the sad incident, lamented that it doesn’t augur well for the country and the future of the country.
He lamented that the Bring Back Our Girls campaign which was tough in agitation for the girls’ rescue during the President Goodluck Jonathan administration has since gone cold under the current administration.
Clark, who expressed concern over the inability of the Army to sweep the Sambisa forest and rescue the girls then, added that those responsible for the act planned to embarrass the Jonathan administration.
“The question I now asked was where did they take them to, even if it’s Sambisa forest. Why can’t the army go into the forest; every part of it, who are they afraid of? Let’s pray to God that one day God will answer our prayers.”
He added “What bothers me is the way or manner nobody is talking.
The bring back our girls was sound during Jonathan time, they used them and later they found out they are embarrassing them also.”
He continued, “They thought that carrying those girls away was a way of embarrassing Jonathan Government. How they managed to get more vehicles to take them away, how many hours, these are things the Government should investigate to find out, because we are talking about over a hundred school girls.
“When an American man was kidnapped here in Nigeria, the American came all the way from America and released this man from where he was kept. One hundred girls were missing and we are not able to capture one. We don’t know where they are?
“When I heard soldiers chased them and they ran inside Sambisa forest, why can’t you follow them? So I don’t know who is deceiving who in this country. Jonathan at the time said there are Boko Haram people in his government.”
Speaking also, Gen Haruna said Gen Ibm Haruna on his part decried the sad incident, adding that the issue “must be kept on the front burner”
He commended the parents for doing their best and urged them to continue to hope, pray and work towards the children’s return.
“We shall continue to ensure that the issue does not disappear from the consciousness of the people,” he said.
Speaking earlier, Dr. Alan Manasseh, Director of Media and Communications Kibaku (Chibok) Area Development Association (KADA), who led the delegation said 24 parents of the abducted Chibok girls have died because of the trauma.
He explained that they decided to visit Chief Clark because he has kept the issue of the Chibok Girls on the front burner.
Manasseh who was accompanied by the Women Leader (Mothers) Mrs. Yana Galang, said the “Silence has become too long” adding that they decided “to visit opinion leaders and cry more for rescue of the girls.”
He said the parents are yet to get closure over the matter, adding that the government has repeatedly time them to be hopeful with nothing to show.
“They feel that visiting you to appreciate your efforts on calling for the girls’ release.”
End.
