Chibok Girls: We Are Still Mourning, Borno Govt Says As 89 Still In Captivity

The Borno State government has stated that the state is still mourning as 89 out of 276 abducted girls of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, are still in captivity.

The State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security Affairs, Prof Usman Tar, disclosed this at a press conference to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the incident.

Recall that 276 school girls were abducted from their school on April 14, 2014 by members of Boko Haram sect.

Tar disclosed that so far, 187 of the 276 abducted Chibok girls have been rescued and reunited with their families while 89 of them were still missing.

He noted that the 187 girls were rescued over a period of ten years, including 57 that escaped on the day of abduction.

The commissioner added that 108 were rescued by the security agencies and already reunited with their families.

He said the 187 rescued girls were enrolled in Capacity-building centres and Second Chance Schools initiative to make them self-reliant.

“Also, a number of the rescued girls have been enrolled for various scholarship programmes” he said.

Tar, who spoke alongside his counterpart of Women Affairs, Zuwaira Gambo, called on the parents of the girls that are still missing to be patient as the government is doing everything possible to bring them back.

“We really understand the pain and anguish that the families of those still in captivity are going through, and government is committed to rescuing the remaining girls in captivity; we are working very closely with the federal security agencies along this line,” he said

He expressed hope that with the combined efforts of the security forces, intelligence agencies and communities, all the remaining girls in captivity would return home.

“With about 100 still in captivity, I can say that we are still in mourning period, and we are still in prayer sessions in Mosques and Churches for their rescue.

“This is not a moment of celebration and joy, but a moment for prayers and commemoration. We will celebrate when all have been rescued,” he said.