In a statement through Mahmud Abdullahi, the Former Military President popularly known as IBB, said it was a thing of joy for the girls to have been reunited with their families after being taken away in such painfully and abrupt manner for over two and half years.He noted that the release of the 21 girls signalled a hope, after such moments of despair that the abduction of over 200 Schools girls brought to their families, the entire country and the global community.Hasten NegotiationsGeneral Babangida stated that it was gratifying to see the release of 21 of the girls, after delicate negotiations with the Boko Haram saying that “it is an indication that President Muhammadu Buhari’s government is committed to ensuring safe release of the girls”.He further applauded the effort of President Buhari and the resilience showed thus far on the release of abducted Chibok school girls despite the general lethargy and dampening spirit caused by the mode of operation of the deadly group.He also, urged the, Federal Government, security agents and other partners to hasten negotiations to free the remaining girls and rehabilitate them from psychological trauma they might have encountered in the last two and half years.The former military President reaffirmed his belief in the professional capability of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies in ensuring that they put an end to the activities of the Boko Haram sect in the northeast completely.He maintained that the Nigerian Armed Forces had the training and the professional background to end all forms of security threat to the nation such as kidnappings, armed robbery, cattle rustling, farmers-herders clashes and other forms of vandalism.The former Nigerian leader also called on all Nigerians to offer all forms of assistance to the released Chibok girls in order to overcome the mental, physical and psychological trauma they have gone through over the past two and half.The Nigerian government had promised to immediately rehabilitate the released girls.
*Group may demand ransom, swap of 16 detained top commanders*Office of National Security Adviser: Terrorism has overstretched security agencies *No disquiet in the military over sect leaders in detention – DHQ *UN Secretary General hails 21 girls’ release As negotiations for the expected next phase of the release of 83 Chibok girls begins this week, there were indications, last night, that the leadership of the Boko Haram sect might table two major conditions to be met by the Federal Government to seal the deal. A source close to the negotiations confided in Sunday Vanguard that unlike the 21 girls, who were freed by the sect, last Thursday, to test government’s level of commitment and sincerity, the release of the remaining girls may be based strictly on ransom payment and freedom for no fewer than 16 of Boko Haram commanders by the government. The government, it was learnt, was eager to get the remaining 83 girls, reportedly held by a top leader of the sect in an undisclosed location in the North East. Of the 219 girls still missing, a source said that only 104 were left in the captivity of the sect while the rest had long been married off by top commanders and converted to Islam. “The truth is that those Chibok girls are now Boko Haram members, having married the sect members and become radicalised,” the source said. “The remaining 83 girls are with a top leader of Boko Haram and those are the only ones we are going to work for their release in the next phase of our negotiations which starts immediately. “The others had since become Boko Haram members, having been married off and radicalised into Boko Haram as soon as they were captured over two years ago”. But Sunday Vanguard learnt that the representatives of the sect, who are meeting with a Federal Government team, might insist on payment upfront of huge cash by government before freeing the captives. “I think the guys are settled on the idea that the cash must come ahead of the release since they had proved to government that they are reliable by releasing the 21 girls, last week, without many conditions attached”, the source stated. Asked if the sect leaders were unsure of government’s sincerity to keep its own side of the bargain, the source said that the representatives of Boko Haram had also shown that they have confidence in government. It was learnt that the lingering challenge in getting back all the girls arose from the fact that while some of them are with a faction loyal to Benawhi, the rest are being kept by the group loyal to Abubakar Shekau. But one of the negotiators believed the remaining 83 girls would be freed if a meaningful deal is struck between the sect and the Federal Government. Threats Meanwhile, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has said that threats posed by terrorism and violent extremism in parts of Nigeria have not only stretched law enforcement agencies but have also exposed the gap in the nation’s capacity to deal with asymmetric warfare.” Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Center (CTC) in ONSA, Commodore Yem Musa, who stated this in at a one-day ‘Strategic Communication Analytical Technique Exercise’ in Abuja, said that violent extremist groups were more adapted to using strategic communication than government. “Through this exercise, we will explore how strategic communication must be a first order capability in the armed forces, law enforcement and intelligence agencies as well as strategic MDAs of government”, Musa said. Musa explained that the nature of asymmetric warfare and the liberalization of information access through the social media has made it imperative for any state actor serious about its national security to develop efficient and effective use of Strategic Communication. He noted that the threat from terrorists, insurgent groups and other non-state actors in the country, has called for enhanced capacity and holistic measures to deal with the emerging security challenges. The CTC boss however, expressed regret that whereas the non-state actors in the country have perfected effective use of the social media, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to deadly effect, the government is still playing a catch-up role. He said: “The increasing discourse on strategic communication among stakeholders in Nigeria can be linked to the growing body of research on, and practice of counter-terrorism laws, policies and strategy. This, too, is as a result of a new kind of threat hitherto unknown to us. Musa informed stakeholders at the exercise that “strategic communication is a crucial and relevant tool for counter terrorism and counter insurgency and permeates all governance structures and enhance national security and well-being”. At the end of the exercise, participants agreed on the need to develop a common lexicon on strategic communication across MDAs in Nigeria. Remaining captives must be free – UN Secretary GeneralIn a related development, United Nations Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, yesterday, commended the efforts of the Federal Government that paid off with the release of the 21 Chibok girls on Thursday. A statement from the UN Secretariat in New York stated that the Secretary-General also called on the international community to assist Nigeria in securing the release of the remaining girls from Boko Haram’s grip. The statement read: “The Secretary-General welcomes the reported release of 21 Chibok schoolgirls, following more than two years of captivity. “He remains deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of the remaining schoolgirls and other victims of abduction by Boko Haram, who are still in captivity. “The Secretary-General urges the international community to continue supporting the government of Nigeria in its efforts to secure their release, rehabilitation and reintegration. “He calls for increased efforts to ensure additional humanitarian access in the north-east of Nigeria, and reiterates the continued commitment of the United Nations in this regard. “The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, in his capacity as High Representative for Nigeria, continues to engage with the Nigerian authorities and international partners on this matter.”
The Director of the popular fast rising news blog Igbere TV (WWW.IGBERETVNEWS.COM), Emeh James Anyalekwa was arrested on Friday for anti Buhari publications and released same day. See what he posted after the saga and how Nigerians reacted.Snapshots below
Immediate past Miss Imo State Queen, Stephenie Korie was yesterday night humiliated by undressed army man at a graduation party of her friends.Read her reaction and the full gist below:
"Nigeria has turned to something else where men treat women with no respect. I'm so disappointed with our military; they treat women with no respect . I've been hearing stuffs about the things they do in Aba, Abia States but didn't believe until it happened to me tonight . I actually went to my friends graduation party with my younger sis in my school, when all of a sudden some guys started fighting. I wasn't comfortable so we had to go out and we where about leaving when a guy approached me ( army officer not dressed in his uniform ) and asked me of the people with us; I was surprised because I was invited and didn't know much people in the party. But I didn't answer him then ,he told me he would slap me if I don't tell him. I was surprised and asked him why? Before I could recall what was happening he gave me a dirty slap. Now I'm wondering; do men go about slapping any female they see? or the men in our country have lost the respect they have for women? It is a big shame for a soldier in the Nigerian army to act with such irresponsible behaviour. And when he was asked why he did what he did, his reply was "do you know who I am" #StandAgainstMilitaryIntimidation #MenShouldNotHitWomenForNoReason #TheMilitaryShouldProtectAndNotIntimidateOurWomen"
