Ijaw National Leader and First Republic Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark on Monday called on President Bola Tinubu to appoint a Special Task Force to travel at any time to Sambisa forest to search for the Chibok Girls, Leah Sharibu and others still held in Boko Haram captivity.
He also revealed how himself and then Comrade Shehu Sani, before he was elected into the Senate, met with a Boko Haram member to over the atrocities of the terrorist organization.
Clark stated these in Abuja during a just-concluded press conference on the 10th anniversary of the the Chibok Girls, saying it is a shame that till date, the children haven’t been released.
He also said several efforts by President Goodluck Jonathan to secure the release of the Chibok Girls was frustrated by saboteurs and Boko Haram members in his government.
Clark said, “In 2009, President Umaru Yar’ Adua was to visit Brazil, but the upsurge of Boko Haram in Borno State affected his travel because they had to send security men to Maiduguri. There was no serious effort made but the little effort made by President Jonathan was thwarted and sabotaged by the state government in the North East.
“President Buhari sent his Chief of Army Staff, General (Tukur) Buratai to the war front in Borno State to rescue the Chibok Girls. But the story was different; the Chief of Army Staff diverted the resources to build a University in Biu. There was no serious effort made by the little effort made by President Buhari again.
“I was also disappointed that President Bola Tinubu in his inaugural speech did not mention anything about the Chibok Girls and infact, he has not done anything to set up a Special Task Force, whose duty is mainly to search for the Chibok Girls and rescue them.
“Some of us have played our part in the rescue of the Chibok Girls; it is a national tragedy which must not be ignored.”
According to him, the refusal of government to rescue the girls has worsened the pain of their parents.
He said, “I took part in the efforts of rescue the Chibok Girls. I met with Boko Haram people with Shehu Sani but it was buried by the government and saboteurs. When Jonathan said there was Boko Haram in his government and office, he was telling the truth. He was frustrated, he suspended three governors in the North East. But they were not interested and frustrated him. One of the Boko Haram members was seen in the residence of one Governor.
“The then governor of Borno State and now Vice President Kashim Shettima was told not to hold examination for the children in Chibok but Maiduguri. But he said he would provide security and he never did. The Boko Haram people came for shopping and took away the girls.
“I believe that Tinubu should appoint a Special Task Force, transparent, brave with a time limit to travel at any time to Sambisa forest to search for these girls and Leah Sharibu.
“No government has given the Chibok Girls a priority. For one of the rescued girls to say she wants to go back to the bush means something is wrong.”
Friday Olokor, Abuja
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