UPDATED: Borno identifies 23 more girls in video

The Borno State government said it has now established the identities of 23 more girls in the video released by Boko Haram on Monday.

The total identified so far comes to 77.

Governor  Kashim Shettima had confirmed that some of those in the video were among those abducted at Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, April 14/15,2014.‎

He initially said 36 of them had been identified by their names at an exercise that involved some parents of the girls, fellow students including escapees from abduction, some teachers, security men and some officials of the state government led by the chief of staff, Abubakar Kyari.

As the exercise continued, 18 more were identified, bringing the total to 54.

With 23 more being identified, the figure is still expected to rise as the exercise continues all night.

The parents and students had been taken to the Government House in Maiduguri for the identification exercise.

The names of the new set were not released.

The names of the 54 earlier identified are:

1. Agnes Gafane
2. Saraya Stober
3. Hauwa Bitrus
4. Hajara Isa
5. Na’omi Philimun
6. Hauwa Abdu (1st Speaking)
7. Magret Yama
8. Shitta Abdu
9. Jummai Muta
10.Ladi Paul
11. Roda Peter
12. Filo Dauda
13. Godiya Bitrus
14. Saratu Tauji (2nd Speaking)
15. Ross Daniel
16.Hauwa Ali
17. Hajara Isa (Amira 3rd Speaking)
18. Luba Afga
19. Na’omi Luka
20. Saraya Emos Ali
21. Bilkisu Abdullahi
22. Mairama Ali
23. Maryam Ali Maiyanga
24. Dabora Abbas
25. Kabu Mala
26. Halima Ali
27. Yana Bukar
28. Solomi Pugu
29. Lydia Emmar
30. Luba Sanda
31. Saraya Samuel
32. Comfort Habila
33. Rejoice Shanki
34. Gloria Yaga
35. ‎Mary Nkeki
36. Moda Baba
37. Hauwa Isuwa
38. Patient Jacob
39. Ladi Jajel
40. Abigel Bukar
41. Fanta Lawan
42. Zainabu Yaga
43. Aisha Lawan Zanna
44. Dokas Yakubu
45. Kabu Mala
46. Maryama Bashir
47. Hauwa M. Maina
48. Mary G. Dauda
49. Susana Yakubu
50. Maryam Abbas
51. Laraba John
52. Hanatu Nuhu
53. Na’ omi Bukar
54. Rifkatu Galang

Shettima had, before the identification exercise was made public, said he was restraining himself from speaking against federal authorities for the sake of peace.

He said he had been accused of “many things” by the federal government, but he had always not let such accusations bother him.

He said “heads would roll” if he spoke based on the information available to him regarding the crisis in the north-east, and most especially in Borno.

The governor was speaking to a crowd of protesters led by Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, former minister of education, who had come to the Borno State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, to demand answers to questions bordering on the efforts the Borno State government was making to rescue the abducted girls.

She also raised questions on the perceived Shettima’s intransigence and reluctance in cooperating with the federal government towards ending the reign of Boko Haram in Borno State.

To aid the military in its fight against the terrorism, the governor said he had donated 200 Hilux vehicles worth more than half a billion naira to the army.

Drenched in sweat and emotionally charged, the governor said: “For 19 days after the abduction of the girls the federal government did not act. It only did after an international outcry.”

The governor further indicted the federal government, stating that the Mrs Kema Chikwe, the Peoples Democratic Party women’s leader, who reportedly doubted the abduction, expressed not only her own opinion but also that of the presidency.