Chibok Girls: Buhari Offers Economic Support To Grieving Parents

Some students of the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State abducted by Boko Haram

•Sends them message of hope

The Federal Government is offering economic support to parents of the over 200 students of the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, who were abducted  by Boko Haram in April 2014. Also being offered them by government is trauma management support. President Muhammadu Buhari in a fresh message of hope to the parents yesterday on the occasion of the 500th day of the abduction said the support is not any way compensation for the missing girls.

He said: “these priceless schoolgirls are our daughters and they are dear to us as much as they are to you. We share the agony and sorrows you are experiencing as well as our abducted girls. As government we are working hard to rescue our girls alive and healthy.

The Nation report continues:

“I am optimistic that the girls are still alive and will soon be rescued and handed over to you parents by the grace of God. As leaders we are responsible for the welfare of our people and are accountable before the Almighty God.

“As such, while the rescue efforts go on relentlessly, the government will continue to render assistance to you as their biological parents. We are aware that most of you the parents cannot attend to your sources of livelihood, go to work, go to farms or carry on with your trading because of the psychological trauma and agony you are going through and this is to be expected.

“It is for this reason, we find it an obligation to support you in trauma management and in offering some economic support and these supports are not compensation for your daughters because we have not lost hope in recovering them, indeed no sane parent gives up on the recovery of a missing child.”

The President’s message was delivered to the parents by Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State at a meeting in Maiduguri, according to his Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy, Mallam Isa Gusau.

Ninety parents were at the meeting.

The President said Boko Haram’s actions have religious or tribal inclination whatsoever and regretted their senseless killings.

He said: “government is fully committed to fight the insurgents to a standstill especially with renewed global and regional military cooperation as well as the commitment so far displayed by the newly appointed service chiefs and their gallant armed forces who have shown so much patriotism and great sacrifice in defense of their father land.”

The president said he fully understands the pains and agony of losing a child having once lost a child too.