Chibok parents ask govt to reduce public attention on rescued girl

The Chibok community has called on the government to stop exposing Amina Ali, the girl rescued from the captivity of Boko Haram.

The community also appealed to the public to stop referring to Mohammed Hayyatu, a suspected Boko Haram member, as the husband of Ali.

Ali, who was rescued on Tuesday by the army,  was one of the 219 Chibok schoolgirls in the captivity of Boko Haram.

Speaking at a media briefing on Thursday, Tsambido Hosea, chairman of the community in Abuja, described Hayyatu as a “sexual exploiter”, and as not the husband of the rescued girl.

“The Chibok community frowns at federal government and Borno state government in treating Amina like an item. She is a traumatised young woman who needs immediate care and not any further media circus.  We demand to see our daughter today in Abuja as leaders of the community,” he said.

“We condemn, in strong terms, the calling of Mohammad Hayyatu as Boko Haram husband of our daughter; rather, upon confirmation by the Nigerian military, should be referred to as a: Boko Haram sexual exploiter.

“Amina had no husband and who ever that was rescued with her should not be referred to as her husband for any reason. They should be treated separately until Amina is fully rehabilitated.

“We will not support discussion with the government or any agency of government in company of Mohammad Hayyatu.

“We are strongly calling on government to set up a team of expert investigators to investigate Mohammad Hayyatu’s involvement into Boko Haram that led him to be the sexual exploiter of our daughter Amina so as to allow the law to take its proper course. He should be treated based on what investigations will reveal not to conclude from start that he was also an abductee.  Even if he is also abducted and forced to marry her, he should not be referred to in any way as her husband, because there was never consent in getting her with a baby.

“All reports and findings of investigation should be made public.

“All stakeholders – parents, Chibok community (KADA), BBOG, etc – should be involved in any process of discussing and relevant actions relating to Amina and her colleagues that we are expecting their rescue soonest, for purpose of transparency and confidence building.

“We are insisting Amina Ali’s mother/guardian and the Parents’ Association Chairman, Yakubu Nkeki to be on making decisions that concern her well being.

“We are asking for a safe haven to be provided for Amina, her mom and her baby. A safe home that is controlled by her family with the reasonable amount of security support but not overbearing. We insist that all resources necessary be given to the parents’ chair as her legal guardian in the absence of her dad and a mom who herself needs help.

“The Chibok community wishes to be involved in any further discussion on our daughters. We are dissatisfied with the approach of the military, and the governments in shutting us out of verification process. We therefore refer government and its agencies to the Verification, Authentication and Reintegration System that BBOG designed with the participation of our community. It lays out the proper process for handling the return of our daughters. That was not done in this case and we would not want any recurrence.

The statement of the community is coming just as President Muhammadu Buhari received Nkeki at the presidential villa.