The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to securing the release of Leah Sharibu and the remaining 87 Chibok schoolgirls still held captive by terrorist groups, declaring that rescue efforts continue despite limited public updates.
Major General Adamu Laka, National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, provided this assurance on Tuesday during a multi-agency anti-kidnapping meeting held in Abuja in collaboration with the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency.
The senior military officer emphasized that ongoing negotiations and operations are being conducted to ensure the safe return of the victims, addressing concerns that government silence might indicate abandonment of the rescue mission.
Leah Sharibu remains the sole captive from the February 19, 2018 kidnapping of 110 schoolgirls from the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe State, by Islamic State West Africa Province fighters. Her continued detention stems from her refusal to renounce her Christian faith, making her a symbol of religious resilience.
The Chibok tragedy, which occurred on April 14, 2014, when Boko Haram abducted 276 girls from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, continues to haunt Nigeria’s collective consciousness. While numerous victims have been rescued over the years, 87 girls are believed to remain in captivity.
Major General Laka acknowledged the complex circumstances surrounding the prolonged captivity, revealing that some of the kidnapped girls have been forced into marriages with insurgents, complicating rescue operations.
“Since when they were kidnapped, those who were rescued were not just rescued one time; It was a gradual process. Negotiations were done, trying to get them out. Operations were conducted,” Laka explained, providing insight into the multifaceted approach being employed.
Drawing from his personal experience in the operational theater, Laka emphasized the extensive efforts invested by military and intelligence agencies in previous successful rescue operations.
“Luckily, at the beginning of that, towards the year after they were kidnapped, I was in the theatre, and I know what the military and intelligence agencies put into rescue the initial set of the Chibok girls,” he stated.
The National Coordinator stressed that government focus extends beyond the high-profile cases to include other kidnapped individuals, including aid workers from various international organizations.
“We haven’t given up hope on them; some of them were married to some of the insurgents. Some have come out. But let our focus not only be on the Chibok girls. There are others that have been kidnapped aid workers, Nigerian aid workers who were kidnapped. We’ve rescued some that are working for UNICEF,” Laka noted.
He specifically mentioned successful rescue operations involving personnel from UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration, demonstrating the breadth of government counter-terrorism efforts.
Addressing public perception, Major General Laka clarified that the absence of regular media updates should not be interpreted as government indifference or inaction regarding the remaining captives.
“There is the issue of this lady, Leah Sharibu. So, not because it’s not always in the press. We are not always talking about it. It doesn’t mean we don’t care. It doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten about them. We are still on it,” he assured.
The official concluded with a prayer for divine intervention, expressing hope that all remaining captives would be rescued: “Our prayer is that the whole 87 or 80 plus that are left will be rescued by God’s grace.”
The assurance comes as families of the victims and civil society organizations continue advocating for intensified efforts to secure the release of all remaining captives, maintaining pressure on the government to fulfill its primary responsibility of protecting citizens.
