The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and the Bring Back Our Gils, BBOG group have described the release of 82 Chibok school girls as delightful and heartening, and commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the feat.
Dogara, in a statement issued in Bauchi on Sunday by his media aide, Turaki Hassan, also commended the efforts of security agencies and others involved in the negotiation process.
“Last month, the House of Representatives adopted a motion, urging the Executive to expedite negotiation for the release of the schoolgirls who remained in captivity, and the news of the release of 82 Chibok girls is delightful, to say the least.
“President Buhari has further proven that he is a man of his words, as he could have used the initial inaction by the previous administration as an excuse to not take action, but he didn’t.
“It has been said in many quarters that true leadership is defined not by apportioning blame, but by solving challenges irrespective of their genesis, and the President deserves all commendation for this feat.
“It is extremely gladdening that these 82 girls will finally be reunited with their families.
“It is my ardent hope that they get the required medical attention, and that the other girls and all others who remained in captivity are released soon,” Dogara said.
BBOG’s commendation which came in a statement signed by the Convener of the group, Oby Ezekwesili on Sunday in Abuja, said that “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, the Convener, Nigeria Young Women Political Forum, Hajia Zainab Mohammed, commended the efforts of the federal government in securing the release of the girls.
“I am excited that the Nigeria security team are doing all they could to ensure our daughters are brought back from captivity. I am happy for the parents who are being reunited with their loved ones.
Mohammed said the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in collaboration with Ministry of Health should work together to provide the girls and their parents adequate psychological counselling.
She said the young girls would need psyco-dynamic counselling sessions before being re-integrated into their various communities.
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