UN revives interest in abducted Chibok girls

Just when international outrage over the abducted Chibok looks to be fading, the United Nations (UN) has urged all “Nigeria stakeholders” to collaborate in order to devise ways of rescuing of the girls.

According to Mr. Said Djinnit, the special representative (West Africa) to the UN secretary-general, acts of terrorism in north-eastern Nigeria can only be resolved with the collective efforts of the leaders and the citizens.

“In the face of the threat of terrorism and insecurity posed by the activities of Boko Haram, all national stakeholders must close ranks and work together,” Djinnit said in a statement obtained by NAN.

“This is with a view to overcome this daunting national challenge.”

Djinnit expressed the sympathy of the UN and the secretary-general with the abducted girls, their families, communities and the people and Government of Nigeria.

He reiterated the commitment of the UN to supporting ongoing efforts by the Nigerian government to quickly and safely release all the abducted girls, with the assistance of its partners.

He also stressed the importance of coordination and joint efforts by countries of the region with the support of international partners to comprehensively address the security threat in the Lake Chad area.

More than 30 Boko Haram men laid siege on the expansive school in the night of April 14, 2014, burning down its dormitory and many other major buildings, and driving off with nearly 300 girls.

While some of the girls have escaped, more than 200 are still believed to be missing.

The Nigerian government received extensive international support for military intelligence collaboration, following global outrage fused into the #BringBackOurGirls campaign.

Fury over the inability of the Nigerian government to find the girls is slowly petering out, but the Abuja #BringBackOurGirls protesters still organise their daily sit-ins at the Unity Fountain Abuja.

The police in the capital city initially sought to halt the movement by banning the sit-ins, but it subsequently recanted itself, saying it was only advising the protesters against the manipulation of the protests by agents of insecurity.

The sit-in is itself suffering from the general public fatigue towards demanding the release of the girls, as the daily meetings at the Unity Fountain are now low-key.

The Nigerian government continues insisting that it knows the location of the girls, but cannot forcefully trigger their release, as this could endanger the life of the girls.