Beyond the Chibok girls narrative
The over 200 school girls taken away by members of the Boko Haram recently marked 900 days in captivity. However, for some obvious reasons, the issue of the missing Chibok girls has been politicized proportionately. In other words, the debate and narrative, both locally and internationally is being treated in isolation, completely forgetting the plight of tens of thousands of other women and children taken away and enslaved by the Boko Haram.
Evidently, for more than two years now, people have been clamoring for the release of the Chibok girls as if the deadly elements have not committed atrocities against anybody else.
Nobody talks or cares much about the other unfortunate Nigerians from the North East. More often than not, even the media focuses more light on these girls than the other innocent villagers mercilessly subdued by the terrorists.
People were butchered like sheep or chickens all over the three states in the region, including Borno, Yobe and Adamawa but this has not gotten sympathy or concern from some people as the Chibok girls got.
Whoever visits Nigeria, the mission is about the Chibok girls. Of course, there is nothing wrong with this but the fact is every single captive deserves mention.
The monumental abductions, killings and destructions perpetrated in the North East in the last six years can only be imagined but the narrative by the international media and right groups is that ‘more than 20,000 people were massacred!’ What a narrative.
The Governor of Borno State and Chairman of Northern Governors Forum, Kashim Shettima, recently exposed the fault line during his recent visit to some of the communities mercilessly attacked by the Boko Haram when he said contrary to statistics constantly released by international humanitarian agencies, over 100, 000 persons may have been killed in Borno alone.
“We have 59, 000 widows and more than 20, 000 orphans. In Monguno Local Government alone, there are 13, 000 orphans. So, how did those dishing out statistics of deaths come up with conclusion that roughly 15, 000 people died in the crisis?
“There is endemic poverty in the North. We are also confronted with unemployment among our youths, and if we do not do something urgent, we may be confronted with more security challenges worse than Boko Haram,” the governor said.
Evidently, the governor did not just throw figures for the sake of impressing anyone. Just like some of us, he is on ground and directly in contact with reality.
Thousands of men have been killed by the Boko Haram and the process, thousands of women became widows and their children orphaned.
Similarly, many women were kidnapped or abducted, and thereafter impregnated and in the process, hundreds of orphans were produced with no one taking proper care of them. A visit to many IDP camps will live no one in doubt. The future is blink and fearful for these isolated Nigerians.
We have thousands of widows who need assistance. The incidences of dreadful and awe-inspiring killings in Bama, Baga,Gwoza and so on are fresh in our minds.
Chibok girls are just part of the lots of victims that need to be rescued.
Many school girls and boys were annihilated and extirpated at Buni Yadi and Mamudo towns of Yobe State and hundreds of others taken away as prisoners of war. All of them are Nigerians, and their parents, too, are living in pains and anguish. If not for anyone, the lives of these unsung heroes are important and dear to their parents and close relatives.
Just like the Chibok girls, we see all Boko Haram victims as equally important and we are concerned about finding them. The Chibok girls are our daughters but let others also receive the same concern.
Those who persistently exert pressure on President Buhari and his government, to look for the Chibok girls should go beyond the media campaign.
No doubt about it. The international community has the wherewithal and technology. We want them to help our President and rescue the girls. Considering his unmatchable commitment since he came to power on May 29, 2015, nobody is doubting the commitment of President Buhari in rescuing not only the Chibok girls, but all the captives in the hands of the dreaded Boko Haram.
A monumental mistake had been made by the previous administration for refusing to do the needful to locate the Chibok girls and others when the issue was very fresh and quite possible to tackle.
Those that matter at the time erroneously contended that the girls were stolen and bundled off under the canopy of the government.
To me, this argument holds no water. Every citizen has right to be protected by the government. The prime assignment of any government is to give security to life and property of all.
In my view the interest on the Chibok students only, is thwarting our dauntless and audacious army, who are recording victory after victory every day. To some skeptics, if the army fails to locate these girls, they have done nothing. This is not fair.
People should bear in mind that, the aim and objective of our gallant troops are to obliterate and destroy the hideous creatures completely, and they are doing so now.
On August 19, about three hundred of the ferocious insurgents, including three of their leaders, were reportedly killed by air strike. We, the people of the North East know this very well, for we are witnesses to the practicality of military operations in our once forgotten land.
We give Kudos to Mr. President, his government and the military.
And for the Bring Back Our Girls campaigners, we want them to expand the horizon of their plea. Let it be ‘Bring Back All Our Women and Other Captives’, for they are also Nigerians.