Borno governor commends Buhari on Chibok girls’ release

Governor of Borno state, Kashim Shettima, has praised President Muhammadu Buhari on the release of 21 Chibok schoolgirls, following a deal with their Boko Haram abductors.

 Mr. Shettima, in a statement issued by his spokesman, Isa Gusau, said the release of the girls leaves no “doubts about the sincerity and commitment” of the federal government in rescuing the schoolgirls as well as other abducted persons.

“‎As people of Borno State troubled by the deaths and destruction of Boko Haram insurgency, one of our major sources of strength has been the undiluted sincerity we saw in President Buhari, based on his administration’s commitment to recovering our schoolgirls, and thousands of other women and children held in captivity, as well as ending the insurgency in order to secure the lives of our citizens and make way for reconstruction, resettlement and other development programmes and projects,” Mr. Shettima said.

“We had faith in Buhari from the very day he took off as President. The steps he kept on taking in dealing with the insurgency continuously proved his sincerity.

“If any Nigerian or member of the international community had doubts about the sincerity and commitment of President Buhari ‎to the rescue of our precious daughters and other abducted Nigerians and very importantly, his sincerity in working towards ending the Boko Haram insurgency, such doubts must by now be laid to rest.”

The governor commended the Nigerian Armed Forces and others involved in the recovery of the girls.  

He said the state government had put in place a rehabilitation process that would work with the Federal Government and humanitarian partners to ensure proper medical evaluation and trauma management for the girls.

Mr. Shettima said he was also prepared to enroll the girls in schools of their choices, “like the 56 girls who escaped abduction, all of whom are schooling in two International schools in the North Central and Northwest with their schools kept away from the public to ensure their privacy so as not to create publicity that could jeopardize their education”.

The governor is in the entourage of President Buhari to Germany, where the president is scheduled to hold discussions on security and improving the welfare of internally displaced persons affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.