The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, has called on security agencies to keep Nigerians abreast of developments in the efforts to rescue the remaining Chibok girls and others from the captivity of Boko Haram.
That, he said, would put an end to the speculations or talks insinuating that 98 out of the 113 girls in the captivity of the terrorists had died.
In a series of tweets by Ahmed Salkida, a Nigerian journalist who claimed to have been involved in some negotiations towards the release of the kidnapped girls, said only 15 of the 113 girls were still alive.
He therefore warned the federal government to ask for proof of life in its negotiations over the girls.
The Presidency had since debunked the insinuation, stating that it was not aware that the girls were dead.
It also denied involvement of Salkida in the negotiations for the release of any of the Chibok girls.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki who also called on the government to restrategise towards having the girls and others in captivity released, urged Nigerians to help the government in any way possible.
He said through concerted efforts, the nation would succeed in getting those in captivity back.
Saraki noted with sadness the plight of the Chibok parents whose girls are not back and the anxiety they have had to endure.
He called on the parents to remain steadfast as government would never relent in efforts to see their daughters back home safely.
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Saraki said: “As a parent, I feel the pains of these unfortunate young girls from Chibok and the latest one – Leah Sharibu – from Dapchi, their parents and the people and Governments of Borno and Yobe states over these harrowing experiences.
“However, all hope is not lost. We are all involved in this. Their return will give us joy while their continued stay in captivity will inflict us with perpetual torment of failure.
“This is no time for blame game or passing the buck. We must all gear up and work together to see these girls rescued within the shortest possible time. I believe that the last four years has given us ample time to reflect on the calamity, review our modus operandi – politically and militarily – and resolve to ensure that all Nigerians are adequately protected.
“Let’s fine tune the strategies that have won us successes and discard those that have failed us. The goal and focus must be clear – to rescue our girls and all those in forced captivity in any part of the country, and ultimately, to restore our pride as a sovereign entity.
“This is the time for all stakeholders to retool and re-strategise to ensure that all these girls are not only rescued but do all in our power to put a closure to all cases of kidnapping and insurgency in this land.”
