ABDUCTION OF 129 CHIBOK SCHOOL GIRLS: ARMY MUST APOLOGISE FOR CHIBOK ABRACADABRA

19^th April, 2014

PRESS RELEASE:

ABDUCTION OF 129 CHIBOK SCHOOL GIRLS: ARMY MUST APOLOGISE FOR CHIBOK ABRACADABRA

The Nigerian Army claimed on Wednesday 16^th April, 2014 that it had rescued 107 out of the 129 girls abducted by suspected Boko Haram insurgents from Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.

To the dismay of Nigerians, the school principal, Mrs. Asabe Kwambura, denied the report of such rescue operation. Officials of Borno State Government corroborated the denial. An embarrassed Nigerian military quickly retracted its story on Thursday, 17^th April, 2014.

It is only in Nigeria that such confusion is condoned. The abduction of girls in their school is a tremendous setback for girl-child education and it should have been treated with more seriousness and high manifestation of professionalism.

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) calls attention to the misery and despair of parents of the unfortunate girls. Indeed all Nigerians have shown deep concern over this ugly incident. The huge national psychological trauma is immeasurable. Therefore nobody should trivialize the unprofessional behavior of the Nigerian military.

The army has goofed this time around and it should apologise to Nigerians. This is a democracy and the citizens have the right not only to demand performance but also to insist on true reportage.

It is clear from what happened that there was glaring disconnect between the field and army control room. This is a serious malady. The military is wobbling and fumbling. This is why innocent civilians continue to die everyday in this Boko Haram saga.

MURIC demands public apology from the military for feeding Nigerians with false hope, deepening their despair and causing them immense emotional trauma. We call for immediate commencement of a probe into the military Chibok abracadabra. We charge the defence committees of the National Assembly to perform their oversight function in this matter without any delay.

Who filed in the report from the field? Who received the signal? Who transmitted it and who gave the order for its dissemination to the public? Nigerians have the right to know.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)