PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan was unable to meet with the Chibok girls who escaped and their parents in Abuja, on Tuesday as promised, because they were hurriedly ferried out of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by the Nigerian branch of the BringBackOurGirls campaign.The president had, on Monday, during her visit to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, promised Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani child right activist, who survived Taliban assassination attempt over her campaign for girl education in her country, that he would meet with the girls and their parents, who accompanied Malala on the visit.
However, President Jonathan was unable to do so on Tuesday, because the BringBackOurGirls campaigners moved them out of Abuja.
The Nigerian Tribune gathered that the presidency had dispatched a bus to convey them to the Presidential Villa to enable him discuss with them, but the BringBackOurGirls campaigners, who apparently had custody of the girls, were said to have rejected the vehicle, in spite of the plea of members of the Malala Foundation.
Jonathan, it was gathered, was still waiting to receive them when information reached him that the girls had already left Abuja.
Angered by the attitude of the campaigners, the president, in a statement read by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe, in Abuja, accused the activists of politicising the abduction issue.
He pointed out that the fight to rescue the Chibok girls was not only being fought against the terrorists, but also against the opposition. He expressed displeasure over his inability to see them.
The statement read: “It now appears that our fight to get the girls back is not only a fight against a terror, but also against a political opposition.
“It is with great regret I announce the cancellation of the meeting with 12 parents of the abducted Chibok girls, as well as five of the brave girls, who escaped from the terrorist group, Boko Haram.
“I scheduled this meeting, which was to be open to the media for coverage by Nigerian and international press, to listen to their stories and to privately brief the parents and the girls on our efforts to rescue the abducted girls.
“My priority is not politics. My priority is the return of these girls.
“Unfortunately, political forces within the Nigerian chapter of BringBackOurGirls have decided to play politics with the situation. They should be ashamed of their action.
“Those who would manipulate the victims of terrorism for their own benefit are engaging in a similar kind of evil— psychological terrorism.
“I want to be clear. This government stands in complete solidarity with the girls and their parents. We are doing everything in our power to bring back our girls.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Aminu Tambuwal, on Tuesday, called on the Federal Government to negotiate with members of the Boko Haram, in order to secure the release of the over 200 abducted Chibok school girls.
Tambuwal, who stated this when #BringBackOurGirls Citizens’ Group, led by the former Minister of Eduction, Dr Oby Ezekwesili paid him a courtesy call over the abducted school girls issue.
“If negotiation is what will bring back the Chibok girls, for goodness sake, let’s negotiate.
“To negotiate is not just submitting. You are not; it is a strategy. So, let us get these girls out and then if you want to confront them, you go ahead. But as a government, we must do what ever is needful to bring back the girls safely and alive,” he stated.
On what the House has done to address terrorism in the country, the Speaker said: “We have amended the constitution to allow the first line charges for security agencies. We have given every legislative support needed. However, we are made to believe that insurgency is not a thing that begins and ends immediately.”
Earlier in her speech, the leader of the team, Dr Ezekwesili appealed to the Speaker to talk to those in authority to help rescue the abducted girls alive.
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