The Nigerian army may have been successful in its campaign and mop up operations against the insurgents thus far, but the fate of the over 200 Chibok schoolgirls who were plucked from their hostels last April and corralled into trucks enroute a destination to no where, still hangs in the balance.
Army Chief, Kenneth Minimah, has said that despite retaking several territories from the clutches of Boko Haram, the girls are yet to be sighted; deepening suggestions that they may indeed have been married off into lives of slavery like Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau promised in a video after the abduction.
“In all the liberated areas we have, we have also made enquiries but the truth is when the terrorists are running away they also run with their families. And those we have come in contact with have not made any comments suggesting that Chibok girls were there and taken away”, the Chief of Army Staff said grimly.
He however added that “we are optimistic that as the war gets closer, the territory is becoming elusive to them (terrorists) and we will get further details on that.”
Minimah also stated that Yobe and Adamawa have been freed from Boko Haram and noted that only three communities in Borno were left to be retaken in the war with the insurgents.
“I am also sure you know that in Borno state out of the 27 local governments we have three local governments remaining, Abadam, Kalabaldi and Gwoza and we are optimistic that with time we will liberate those local governments”.
He said the INEC was better placed to state if elections will go on in liberated areas and added that even though the towns have been liberated, there is no government presence there yet.
“I am not competent to speak on the elections. INEC is still there. INEC has to re-access the situation and evaluate because the areas have been liberated.
“But I can also tell you that not all structures of governance have been reinstated and they will need to be reinstated so that citizens can go back to their areas and it is then I think they can execute their rights as voters. How soon? I don’t know,” he said.
