‘A decade of shame’ — Yemi Adamolekun demands release of remaining Chibok girls

Yemi Adamolekun, executive director of Enough is Enough (EiE) Nigeria, a civil society organisation, says 91 of the 276 abducted Chibok schoolgirls are still unaccounted for.

Adamolekun spoke on Sunday at an event which marked the 10-year anniversary since the schoolgirls were abducted from their dormitory by terrorists.

She described the tragedy as a ”decade of shame”, adding that the state and federal government’s commitment to rescuing the remaining Chibok girls appears to have waned, leaving their parents and families in despair.

The EiE director urged the federal government to intensify efforts in rescuing the remaining Chibok girls, adding that it would continue to engage relevant stakeholders on the issue.

She said it is the duty of the government to formally inform parents whose children are no more.

“Today, we communicate the reality that 48 parents of our abducted girls have passed on with the throbbing pain of not knowing the whereabouts of their daughters,” she said.

“The government’s inability to effectively address these abductions has emboldened criminal groups to persist in their activities.

“As a result, parents are compelled to decide between the safety and education of their children.

“To protect the safety of all students and the future of education in Nigeria, it is imperative that we as a society keep holding the government responsible and pushing for long-term solutions to stop school kidnappings.

“We must remain vigilant until every child is safe.”

Yemisi Ransome-Kuti, founder of the Nigerian network of non-governmental organisations, reiterated the need for state police.

She urged Nigerians to join her in the clamour for state police.

Ransome-Kuti also made a roll call of the 91 missing schoolgirls, urging the government not to remain silent while the children remain in captivity, yearning for freedom and reunion with their families.

Grace Dauda, one of the rescued schoolgirls who attended the event, sought for support for those rescued and released, while advocating for the release of those still in captivity.

On April 14, 2014, about 276 girls were abducted by terrorists from their school dormitory in Chibok, Borno state.

Following a raft of releases through the years, the military said 76 Chibok schoolgirls had so far escaped, while 107 were released by Boko Haram in 2018.