President Muhammadu Buhari says the Federal Government is ready to do whatever it takes to free the remaining Chibok school girls taken captive on April 14, 2014.
The President, who stated this in his message to mark the third anniversary of the abduction of the girls by members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect yesterday, said the government was ready to bend backwards just to see that the remaining girls were released.
So far, 24 girls have been released by their captors with some of them now mothers.
In a message signed by the President and released by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, he said being a parent, he was grateful to God that some of the girls were found alive and had been reunited with their families.
“Government is doing all within its powers to reintegrate the freed girls to normal life. Furthermore, Government is in constant touch through negotiations, through local intelligence to secure the release of the remaining girls and other abducted persons unharmed.
“My special appreciation goes to the parents and families that have endured three years of agony and waiting for the return of their children. I feel what you feel. Your children are my children. On this solemn occasion, my appeal is that we must not lose hope on the return of our remaining schoolgirls.
“Our intelligence and security forces, who have aptly demonstrated their competence, are very much equal to the task and absolutely committed to the efforts to find and return the schoolgirls and others abducted by Boko Haram.
“We have reached out to their captors, through local and international intermediaries, and we are ever ready to do everything within our means to ensure the safe release of ALL the girls,” he said.
The President also reassured the parents of the girls, Nigerians and the international community that the government was unrelenting in ensuring the safe return of the girls.
“I wish to reassure the parents of the Chibok girls, all well-meaning Nigerians, organisations and the international community that as a government, we are unrelenting on the issue of the safe return of our children.
“I trust God that soon, our collective efforts will be rewarded with the safe return of our schoolgirls to their families, friends and their communities,” he said.
The President recalled that at the inception of his administration in May 2015, the militant group occupied not less than 14 local government areas in the North East of the country, and this posed a serious threat to other parts of the North as they unleashed fear through suicide bombings.
The resolve by his administration to settle this was the driving force to give the necessary political and logistical backing, which energised members of the armed forces and other security agencies to overrun the headquarters of Boko Haram in the Sambisa forest and scatter the terrorists from their strong base.
He said having secured some level of success, the President promised that no group would hold the country to ransom under his watch, and urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements around them.
“I, therefore, call on all Nigerians and residents in the country, to remain extra vigilant and report any suspicious element or group to the security agencies. We cannot afford to let down our guards. Under my watch, no group will hold the country to ransom,” the President said.
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