* Borno elders, BBOG commend FG for release
The 82 rescued Chibok schoolgirls arrived Abuja, Sunday, to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari in the Presidential Villa, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports, just as Borno Elders Forum has described reports of the release of 82 Chibok school girls from the Boko Haram insurgents as a good omen.
The Bring Back Our Girls Group (BBOG) also on Sunday, applauded the Federal Government and security agencies on the release of the girls.
Mr. Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, who confirmed this development on his twitter handle, said the Chief of Staff to the President, Alhaji Abba Kyari, received the girls at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The girls, who regained their freedom on Saturday from Boko Haram captivity, were billed to meet with President Buhari at about 4.00p.m Sunday.
The 82 girls were said to have been released to international negotiators, who have been working in collaboration with the federal government for their safe return since they were kidnapped in April 2014.
Malam Garba Shehu, a presidential spokesman had on Saturday, in a statement issued in Abuja, also confirmed that the girls were release by their captors in exchange for some Boko Haram suspects held by the federal government.
Meanwhile, Borno Elders Forum has described reports of the release of the girls from the Boko Haram insurgents as a good omen.
Dr. Mali Gubio, Secretary of the forum told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri that credit must go to President Muhammad Buhari.
“We are extremely happy to hear the news on the release of the girls; we are grateful to God for showing us this day.
“We believe that Buhari deserves great commendation on this.
“The President has done so much and he is doing well in piloting the affairs of the nation.
“We pray to Almighty Allah to grant him good health, so that he can continue the good work he is doing.
“For the girls, we are very happy. We hope they are not traumatised in anyway.
“We believe that it is time the abductors release all the people in their custody; I think they have no reason to keep holding them for no just cause.
“These are helpless vulnerable people who are supposed to be in their villages and hamlets waiting for the rainy season to return to farm.
“It has taken so long, I think that they should have a change of heart to make sure that they end the insurgency.
“There is no reason for us to continue to destroy ourselves, what they are doing is an act of self destruction, destroying themselves and the society at large,” Gubio, a former Head of Service said.
He said that the insurgents had succeeded in showing their grievances to the world and “it is now time for the insurgency to end even without the military force.
“The insurgents have expressed their grouses or whatever problem they have with the society,” he said.
Similarly, the BBOG on Sunday applauded the federal government and security agencies on the release of the 82 girls.
The commendation came in a statement signed by the convener of the group, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili on Sunday in Abuja.
“The Nigerian Presidency has confirmed that 82 of our missing 195 Chibok Girls have been released via a negotiated deal.
” The efforts were through the combined effort of security agencies, the military, the government of Switzerland, the Red Cross, local and international NGOs.”
She said the group members were delighted by the good news, which followed the release of 21 girls in October 2016.
“We commend Mr. President, the federal government and all the other partners for this heartwarming development.
“We are also glad that the statement from the Presidency makes a strong commitment to rescuing the remaining 113 of our Chibok girls that are still captives of terrorists.”
Also in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, the convener, Nigeria Young Women Political Forum, Hajia Zainab Mohammed, commended the efforts of the federal government in securing the release of the girls.
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