The Action Team Against Conscription and Kidnap, ATACK, a developmental, human-rights, non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Nigeria has condemned the unwarranted claims to the franchise of the collective efforts of Nigeria as a country and Nigerians as a people to rescue or ensure the release of over 260 young girls abducted at Chibok, Bornu state in 2014.
The organization, while apparently referring to the recent media reports over the dust raised between former Minister, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili of the Bring Back Our Girls campaign, BBOG and Hadiza Buhari-Bello, of Africa Support and Empowerment Initiative, concerning the use of the name ‘Bring Back Our Girls’. Reports have that the BBOG accused Hadiza Buhari-Bello of trying to hijack the Bring Back Our Girls franchise from their organisation.
The National Coordinator of ATACK, Mr. Debo Adeniran said “those groups engaging in unnecessary altercations over franchise even when the battle against insurgency is still fiercely ongoing, with close to 197 girls still in captivity only show their shallow level of their sensibility to the seriousness of the trauma Nigeria and Nigerians especially the victims have passed through over the whole episode. The development apparently points to a conclusion that reveals they are attention seekers and or might have other mercantilist agenda being hidden from the public.”
Continuing Mr. Adeniran said , “nobody or any organization has the sole right to claim glory or franchise over any of the Chibok girls, none of the organization went into the Sambisa forest in ensuring the rescuing of these girls. The interest should fundamentally be for Nigeria to be totally free of abduction, conscriptions and kidnaps. These shenanigans must stop! The truth is that kidnappings, abductions, conscriptions etc. occur incessantly across the country and increasingly on daily basis, but then the attention seekers pay no attention.”
“As an organization, since 2014, ATACK had dedicated every Thursday of the week to do campaigns and other symbolic actions on issues of kidnapping, abductions and conscriptions to draw the attention of the government and public to daily worsening situation in the country as far as those heinous crimes against humanity are concerned.”
In concluding Adeniran said, “it is also important to put into considering the experience the released girls had been forced to pass before now. The government must take responsibility for their rehabilitation by helping them to overcome the trauma they have been through.”
“We commend the Nigerian Military, particularly the gallant troops who are the real heroes in the successes achieved so far since the Boko Haram insurgents began their terrorist acts in the North Eastern part of the country. We call on government not to relent in its efforts to ensure that all Nigerians are under abduction, kidnapping etc. are rescued and re-united with their families.”
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