The Borno State
government today announced that it will spend N150 million to fund a
rehabilitation program for the 53 girls who escaped from Boko Haram captivity
and to support parents in Chibok whose sources of livelihood have been impaired
by the abductions, According to Sahara reporters
Speaking to the presidential fact-finding committee in
Maiduguri, Governor Shettima said a
committee had been set up to work with all stakeholders and international
organizations in support of the girls and their parents.
The governor expressed regret that in Nigeria, more emphasis
is placed on politics than on governance, which is supposed to focus on solving
problems.
He drew attention to the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight
370, saying that despite the fact that most people suspect that the crew and
the passengers of the flight are probably dead, a massive investment was and is
still being deployed in the search for whatever can be found as remains of
those in the plane and its wreckage.
“Now, while that is
going on, here is Nigeria, there was a report that over 200 human creatures,
young Nigerian girls about completing their secondary school education, were
attacked in their school at night and whisked away like slaves in ancient
years,” the governor said.
“And some Nigerians,
one of them a former Minister and one time member of the Federal Executive
Council which is the highest decision making body of this country, worst of
all, a woman and a mother, came out to cast doubt over the abduction of these
girls. That woman completely disregarded the sensitivity of that issue, the
pains of the agonizing parents and our pains as a Government, to whom, the
parents of these girls, cry out in desperation, unimaginable confusion and
anguish. Every other unreasonable Nigerian that came to adopt that view, only
anchored the unfortunate position that was first expressed by Mrs Kema Chikwe.”
He said that doubts over that abduction pained him as much
as the childish theory that his government might have staged the abduction in
order to create the basis for stopping the extension of emergency rule in Borno
State.
Nonetheless, he expressed the commitment of the Borno State
Government to sincere and active collaboration with the Federal Government and
all other support groups in the collective fight against insurgency.
Calling for mutual trust, Governor Shettima drew attention
to the misconception about those behind Boko Haram, saying it is one major
hindrance to fighting the insurgency.
“So long we continue to look the wrong way on who is or are
behind Boko Haram, there would be lack of focus on the part of most
stakeholders and in which case, the victims would remain the accused,” he
said.
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