Chibok Girls: Presidency Disowns Salkida’s Information

The Presidency has dismissed Ahmed Salkida’s latest information
that only 15 of the remaining 113 abducted Chibok schoolgirls in
captivity of Boko Haram were believed to be alive.

Sakilda, a Nigerian journalist believed to be based in Dubai and
self-acclaimed negotiator in the Chibok girls saga, had made this
disclosure in a series of tweets posted on his handle,
@ContactSalkida, on Saturday.

He said the 15 surviving girls had been married off,
“indoctrinated and might no longer be interested in returning
home.

Salkida, who claimed to be part of the negotiating team for the
release of the girls since the era of former President Goodluck
Jonathan’s administration, enjoined the Buhari administration to
“demand for proof of life, as it carries out negotiations to secure
the release of the remaining girls still in captivity”.

However, Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the
President on Media and Publicity, debunked Salkida’s claims in a
statement in Abuja on Saturday.

The presidential aide stated that Salkida was neither involved
in the processes that resulted in the release of the over 100
Chibok girls nor in the ongoing efforts to secure the release of
the remaining Chibok girls in captivity.

He said: “Following the numerous press enquiries on the
information contained in the series of tweets by Mr Ahmed Salkida,
we wish to reiterate that the information is not known to the
officials of this administration either from the captors of the
Chibok girls or the international intercessors who are working with
us.

“We wish to confirm that Mr Salkida is not involved, on behalf
of the Nigerian government in the processes leading to the release
of the over 100 Chibok Girls that have returned to their families,
so far , and is not involved in the current processes to secure the
release of those still held in captivity.’’

It would be recalled that President Buhari had on Friday
reassured the parents of the schoolgirls, that were abducted from
Government Girls Secondary School Chibok, Borno, that “their
daughters will never be forgotten or abandoned to their fate”.

The President, in a statement issued by his Senior Special
Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja,
noted that despite four long years since they were taken away by
terrorists the government would continue its efforts to ensure
their safe return to their respective homes.

He joined the Borno government, parents of the children and
Nigerians in commemorating the fourth anniversary of the sad
incident.

He also noted that the recovery of more than 100 of the girls
that were kidnapped through the Federal Government’s determined
effort should give confidence that all “hope is not lost’”.

The President reaffirmed that the government remained focused
and determined to see the girls return to their homes.

He, therefore, urged the parents to be expectant of more good
news in due course.

“We are concerned and aware that it is taking long to bring the
rest of our daughters back home, but be assured that this
administration is doing its very best to free the girls from their
captors.

“Unfortunately, the negotiations between the government and Boko
Haram suffered some unexpected setbacks, owing mainly to a lack of
agreement among their abductors, whose internal differences have
led to a divergence of voices regarding the outcome of the
talks.

“We know that this is not the news parents want to hear after
four whole years of waiting, but we want to be as honest as
possible with you.

“However, this government is not relenting. We will continue to
persist, and the parents should please not give up.

”Don’t give up hope of seeing our daughters back home again.
Don’t lose faith in this government’s ability to fulfill our
promise of reuniting you with our daughters.

“Don’t imagine for a moment that we have forgotten about our
daughters or that we consider their freedom a lost course,’’ the
President said.

According to him, as long as he remains the Commander-in-Chief
of the Armed Forces the Chibok girls will never be forgotten and
all will be done to have them reunited with their families.

The Presidency has dismissed Ahmed Salkida’s latest information
that only 15 of the remaining 113 abducted Chibok schoolgirls in
captivity of Boko Haram were believed to be alive.

Sakilda, a Nigerian journalist believed to be based in Dubai and
self-acclaimed negotiator in the Chibok girls saga, had made this
disclosure in a series of tweets posted on his handle,
@ContactSalkida, on Saturday.

He said the 15 surviving girls had been married off,
“indoctrinated and might no longer be interested in returning
home.

Salkida, who claimed to be part of the negotiating team for the
release of the girls since the era of former President Goodluck
Jonathan’s administration, enjoined the Buhari administration to
“demand for proof of life, as it carries out negotiations to secure
the release of the remaining girls still in captivity”.

However, Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the
President on Media and Publicity, debunked Salkida’s claims in a
statement in Abuja on Saturday.

The presidential aide stated that Salkida was neither involved
in the processes that resulted in the release of the over 100
Chibok girls nor in the ongoing efforts to secure the release of
the remaining Chibok girls in captivity.

He said: “Following the numerous press enquiries on the
information contained in the series of tweets by Mr Ahmed Salkida,
we wish to reiterate that the information is not known to the
officials of this administration either from the captors of the
Chibok girls or the international intercessors who are working with
us.

“We wish to confirm that Mr Salkida is not involved, on behalf
of the Nigerian government in the processes leading to the release
of the over 100 Chibok Girls that have returned to their families,
so far , and is not involved in the current processes to secure the
release of those still held in captivity.’’

It would be recalled that President Buhari had on Friday
reassured the parents of the schoolgirls, that were abducted from
Government Girls Secondary School Chibok, Borno, that “their
daughters will never be forgotten or abandoned to their fate”.

The President, in a statement issued by his Senior Special
Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja,
noted that despite four long years since they were taken away by
terrorists the government would continue its efforts to ensure
their safe return to their respective homes.

He joined the Borno government, parents of the children and
Nigerians in commemorating the fourth anniversary of the sad
incident.

He also noted that the recovery of more than 100 of the girls
that were kidnapped through the Federal Government’s determined
effort should give confidence that all “hope is not lost’”.

The President reaffirmed that the government remained focused
and determined to see the girls return to their homes.

He, therefore, urged the parents to be expectant of more good
news in due course.

“We are concerned and aware that it is taking long to bring the
rest of our daughters back home, but be assured that this
administration is doing its very best to free the girls from their
captors.

“Unfortunately, the negotiations between the government and Boko
Haram suffered some unexpected setbacks, owing mainly to a lack of
agreement among their abductors, whose internal differences have
led to a divergence of voices regarding the outcome of the
talks.

“We know that this is not the news parents want to hear after
four whole years of waiting, but we want to be as honest as
possible with you.

“However, this government is not relenting. We will continue to
persist, and the parents should please not give up.

”Don’t give up hope of seeing our daughters back home again.
Don’t lose faith in this government’s ability to fulfill our
promise of reuniting you with our daughters.

“Don’t imagine for a moment that we have forgotten about our
daughters or that we consider their freedom a lost course,’’ the
President said.

According to him, as long as he remains the Commander-in-Chief
of the Armed Forces the Chibok girls will never be forgotten and
all will be done to have them reunited with their families.