The award-winning poet does this in his newly released video of ‘Ẹyẹ Ìgbò: For Chibok Girls’, a track off his 2024 album titled ‘Òrèrè: A Gift of Poems’.

The innocent schoolgirls popularly called Chibok Girls were abducted from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State, on April 14 2014, making April 14, 2025 the 11th year of the attack.

Nigeria has had three Presidents since then — Goodluck Jonathan who was in power in 2014, Muhammadu Buhari and now Bola Tinubu.

Efforts made by all, deploying military might and diplomacy, led to the release or return of some of the victims but a good number are still being held.

As of April 2024, ‘Premium Times’ reported that, of the 276 girls seized by Boko Haram, 128 had regained freedom in batches over nine years, while the whereabouts of 91 others remain unknown.

Official figures, however, later indicated that 187 had been released.

In ‘Ẹyẹ Ìgbò: For Chibok Girls’, Lasisi laments the fate of those still in bondage just as he sympathises with their parents and other loved ones who live with the nightmare of their absence.

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In the video now on Akeem Lasisi & the Songbirds on YouTube, an affected mother and her two neighbours are seen in a special prayer session for her kidnapped gem, while the poet leads a civilian ‘JTF’ squad into ‘Sambisa’ forest, looking for the captives.

An interplay of the sorrowfully chanted ‘ẹyẹ igbo’ song, taken of a Yoruba folklore, and Lasisi’s critical poem establishes the endless painful anticipation the victims’ parents and many other concerned people have for the return of the remaining Chibok Girls.

When the album was released last year, Lasisi had said on the track: “I still feel pained like many other concerned people. The best way to feel what the remaining abductees and their parents are going through is to imagine the tragedy happening to one. Imagining having one’s daughter or son – or both in the jaws of terrorists, somewhere in the anonymous bush, not just for a month or a year, but for 10 long years. It is extremely painful.”

He, however, noted that producing the track for Chibok girls was a source of relief to him because making a case for such embattled young ones was a debt that whoever had a voice should pay one way or the other.

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Gazuwa camp is the acclaimed headquarters of the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād, Boko Haram faction, formerly known as Gabchari, Mantari and Mallum Masari, located about 9 kilometres to Bama local government area of Borno.

They disclosed this while interacting with newsmen on Tuesday in Maiduguri, at a news conference at the Command and Control Centre, Maimalari Cantonment.

Mary Dauda, who recounted her experience in the hands of the insurgents, said she could still vividly recall her compulsory marriage eight years ago after she was abducted at the age of 18 years.

Dauda said that she walked through the deadly forest for many days before she found help.

Like the others conscripted by the militants, she had been told that she would be hunted down and killed if she deserted.

She said, “I took excuse from Malam Ahmed, that I will be visiting my relative from Chibok in the town of Ngoshe and he gave me one week. That is when I began my journey for freedom.

“I left Sabil Huda, popularly known as the camp of Abubakar Shekau and proceeded towards Njimiya and Parisu, where I met some of the Mujahedeens. They asked where I was going to and I told them I was given permission to visit my sister in Ngoshe.

“I finally arrived Gava Village in Gwoza, after walking for many hours through the deadly forest under hardship condition. I asked some people to direct me to the home of daughter of Chibok.

“After meeting her, I told her of my plans to return home, she told me she had wanted to come with me but her husband has placed her on strict surveillance for attempting to run. I then left her and proceeded toward Ngoshe town.

“On my way, I met an old man who promised to help me to escape. But he told me that it won’t be possible in the afternoon until the sun had set. At about 8 p.m., he took me to Ngoshe town and told me to pass the night in the outskirt of the town and proceed the next morning.

“When the day broke, I took myself to some soldiers where I was rescued with my baby,” she said.

On her part, Hauwa Joseph said she was forcefully married to Amir Abbah, Commander of Boko Haram (Munzul), at Gazuwa camp who was later killed during an encounter with the troops of the Nigerian Army.

She said that she voluntarily escaped from the camp of the terrorists during massive incursion of the troops of the Nigerian Army into their camp in Gazuwa on June 12.

Joseph said as people were running the same direction where the sect members are hiding women and Children, she took a seperate route to escape from the terrorists camp.

She said on her way, she met with some of the insurgents who asked her where she was going, but she tricked them and told them that she was following some women to hide in the nearby forest.

“I slept under the tree with my child, then proceeded the next day until I arrived the road where I approached a military check point. Initially, they thought I was a suicide bomber, but when I explained myself, they took me along with them.”

She thanked the military for rescuing her, saying that she hoped other girls still in the camps of the terrorists would be rescued.

Maj. Gen. Christopher Musa, the Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai North East Joint Operation, said that both girls were among the list of the missing Chibok girls.

Musa said that the girls were rescued due to a massive military operation in Sambisa Forest, Mandara Mountain, and the Lake Chad area.

“We are putting more efforts to ensure that the rest of the girls are rescued through the ongiong Operation Lake and Desert Sanity,” he said.

Also, Major General Waidi Shuaibu, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division of the Army, said the girls were rescued between June 12 and 14, around Bama and Gwoza general area.

Shuaibu said the girls had received necessary medical attention and would be handed over to the appropriate authorities shortly.

Boko Haram kidnapped 276 female students, aged between 16 and 18 from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State in April 2014.

Over 100 of the girls were still missing as at April 14, 2021, seven years after the initial kidnapping.

Source: NAN

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Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, gave the reassurance in a statement to mark the seventh anniversary of the abduction of the Chibok girls.

He also gave assurances that the “release of the remaining Chibok girls is still work in progress.”

“No one is giving up hope here. Efforts to secure their release through various channels and activities of the security and intelligence agencies remain on course,” he added.

According to the presidential aide, the recent decisive push by the military against the terrorists gave hope that a breakthrough was possible and could happen anytime soon.

Shehu asked for support, understanding and prayers for the military as they discharge their historic mandate to quickly finish off the insurgency war and free all citizens held hostage.

Source: NAN

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Farouq said this in a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Mrs Nneka Anibeze, on Wednesday in Abuja to mark the seventh anniversary of the abduction of Chibok girls.

“Let me assure the parents of the Chibok girls, Sharibu and other abductees, that this government has not forgot about them.

“We have heard your demands and the responsible ministries and agencies will respond on behalf of the government.

“All our children deserve quality formal education. Our country needs them to be educated for our development.  No one should have to choose between school and safety.

“We will employ all our efforts to give every Nigerian child the opportunity to rise out of poverty and attain their ambitions through education,” Farouq said.

The minister said President Muhammadu Buhari came into power with a public mandate to control the insurgency in the Northeast that led to the Chibok girls’ abduction, and to fight the corruption that hampered the rescue efforts.

She explained that the federal government had achieved a lot, adding that significant work remained for all levels of government.

“Half of the Chibok girls have been rescued and reunited with their families and have resumed their education.  We will continue working to bring back those left behind.

“Local, state and federal governments readiness to respond to attacks on schools has greatly improved.  We are working to prevent such attacks from occurring in the first place,” she said.

The minister said that she would not like to speak openly about the security strategies and measures.

“But I can assure you that President Buhari’s government holds the safety and security of Nigerians as its sacred duty.

“We are fighting a regional tide of criminality and violent extremism in partnership with others,” she said.

No fewer than 300 female students of Government Secondary in Chibok were abducted by members of Boko Haram on April 14, 2014.

Eighty two of the girls were reported to have been released in May 2017.

One of the girls was rescued in January 2018.  An unknown additional number of girls escaped in January 2021, but over 112 were believed to still remain in captivity.

Source: NAN

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The president gave the assurance when he extended his good wishes to the people of Chibok, Borno State, as they held prayers and thanksgiving services to mark the sixth anniversary of the kidnapping of their daughters by Boko Haram.

The president said he regretted that the current Covid-19 pandemic, with restrictions on movement, made it  impossible for any government delegation to be with them during the event.

He, however, assured the people of Chibok that he was still mindful of their welfare and their concerns, especially regarding their daughters who are still missing.

“On the specific issue of the freedom for the remaining girls held by the terrorists, the president noted the ongoing efforts on two fronts:

“The armed forces of the country who are on general operations in the entire region continue in their hope that they would encounter these girls, as they did thousands of other hostages, rescue and bring them back home.

“The nation’s security and intelligence community, in whom a lot of hope, is reposed in rescuing the abducted girls is making a lot of efforts using backroom channels to get them back to their families. These are processes, formal and informal that involves different groups with links to the terrorists, and are very tedious and uneasy as is seen in different parts of the world,” the statement reads in part.

“The issue of the Chibok girls is not a forgotten issue. We cannot go to sleep over this matter. We are optimistic that ongoing efforts will yield something positive,” President Buhari assured.

He stressed that unfortunately, an ongoing crisis within the Boko Haram leadership, which had led to factions and breakaway groups, brought a number of unforeseen challenges to the process of negotiating with the militants for the young women’s release.

He said in the past few years, Nigeria’s armed forces had recorded huge successes in the battle against Boko Haram, but they had also been careful to ensure that as few civilian lived as possible were lost in the process.

He said “We would rather the young women still in captivity were freed alive.”

President Buhari also reflected on the progress being made by the freed ‘Chibok girls’, who were sponsored by his administration to study at the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola, saying that he was proud of what they were doing.

He encouraged them to remain focused on their studies and on the unique opportunity that had been given to them by God, following their horrific time in captivity.

President Buhari also commended Yakubu Nkeki, Lawan Zannah and Yana Galang, the executive officials of the Association of the Parents of the Abducted Girls from Chibok, on their steadfast efforts to advocate for the welfare of the parents, the freed women, and those still in captivity.

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Chibok is in Borno, North East of Nigeria.

The group said it did not believe Jonathan’s denial of the claim by former British Prime Minister David Cameron that he frustrated the attempt of British special forces to rescue the girls.

The group said it based its rejection on the ex-president’s initial hesitation to take action after the abduction occurred in 2014.

The statement signed by the director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, calling on Jonathan to apologise, reads in part:

“We reject Jonathan’s alibi. We take it with a pinch of salt. It is a cock and bull story. We are not actually basing our rejection on David Cameron’s revelation, rather we are looking at Jonathan’s reaction ab initio. The letters he claimed to have written to foreign powers to seek help were mere afterthoughts. He should tell the marines.

“Jonathan should explain to us why he put the totality of the Nigerian defence architecture to sleep for 21 days after the abduction. He politicized the issue instead of springing to action. He refused to give orders to the military to go after the kidnappers. Instead, he called the kidnap story a ruse designed to discredit his administration. He said it never occurred.

“So Jonathan should leave the Cameron angle aside. Cameron was far away in No 10 Downing Street when the hoodlums kidnapped our girls. Jonathan was right here in Aso Rock, wining and dining and refusing to act while Madam Patience Jonathan was trying to puncture the veracity of the incident with her ‘diaris God oooo’.

“Had Jonathan sprang to action immediately after the abduction like a real Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, the calamity would have been reversed but he delayed action until it was too late. His lackadaisical approach in those crucial moments allowed the insurgents to dig in. He gave Boko Haram an excruciatingly painful 21-day respite which enabled them to take the innocent girls deep into the forest. It was a serious dereliction of duty and an indubitably impeachable offence in a proactive parliamentary democracy. Unfortunately our lawmakers were on sabbatical.”

MURIC said the best Jonathan could do was to apologise to Nigerians for the Chibok debacle.

The group advised Jonathan to swallow his pride and eat the humble pie.

“There are no two ways to it. An unreserved apology is what Nigerians are expecting and we will keep pounding the ex-president until he does the needful.

“We are concerned because that abduction emboldened the insurgents, exposed our underbelly and endangered Nigerian citizens to more criminalities. It was a huge blow to our security apparatus. Whatever threatens the safety and security of lives and properties of Nigerians must attract the interest of every serious civil society group. The Chibok incident opened the floodgate to the frequent kidnappings in the country today.”

The group also appealed to President Buhari to double government’s efforts to rescue the girls, including the Dapchi school girl, Leah Sharibu, from captivity.

“We urge Nigerians to intensify their prayers for the safe return of the Chibok girls. We must also remember Leah Sharibu, the lone Christian girl who was denied freedom by the insurgents,” MURIC added.

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A cross section of the parents made the call in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Sunday in Maiduguri.

The parents spoke on the sideline of a rally organised by a non-governmental organisation,  Al’amin Foundation for Peace and Development, as part of activities to mark the  fifth year anniversary  of the abduction of over 270 school girls.

The insurgents had on April 14, 2014, abducted the girls at Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS), Chibok in Borno.

In May 2016, one of the abducted girls, Amina Ali, was found after she escaped from captivity.

Another set of 21 girls were freed in October 2016, while one girl was also rescued in November same year by the military.

Similarly, 82 girls were freed following negotiations with government in May 2017, while one more was girl rescued in January 2018.

Recheal Daniel, a mother of one of the abducted girls, Rose Daniel, appealed to the Boko Haram factional leader, Abubakar Shekau, to release her daughter.

Daniel lamented that the incident had subjected her to pain and agony, adding that her husband was also killed by the insurgents.

She said that since then, she had been shouldering the up-bringing of six children left behind by her husband.

Ayuba Alamson, a guardian to some of the abducted girls, said six of his niece and sisters were abducted at the school on the fateful day.

Alamson said that three of the girls had been freed while the remaining were still with the insurgents.

He lamented that about 18 affected parents had died due to health complications associated with trauma they experienced as a result of the abduction of their daughters.

Alamson urged the Federal Government, United Nations, UN, and development organisations not to relent in their effort at ensuring the release of the girls from captivity.

“I also pray for the freedom of Leah Sharibu, the only girl held back by Boko Haram insurgents after they released over 112 girls abducted at Government Girls Secondary School in Dapchi, Yobe.”

Musa Maina, another resident of Chibok, appealed for the release of his wife, Zahra Musa, and daughter,  Hadiza Musa, from captivity.

Maina recounted that he fled Chibok to Konduga after the April 14 school abduction incident, only to end up in another abduction trap set by the insurgents.

“Two people came to my house with guns in an attempt to kill me. I and my second wife managed to escape but they took away my first wife and her daughter,” he said.

On her part, Mrs Hamsatu Allamin, the Director of Al’amin Foundation for Peace and Development, said thousands of women and children were being held hostage by the insurgents..

Allamin disclosed that the organisation had embarked on comprehensive campaign to create awareness on abduction of women by the insurgents in the North East.

She called for concrete measures to secure the release of the Chibok School girls and other persons being held by the insurgents throughout the country.

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The BBOG said the move was to refocus its attention on the plight of the remaining Chibok girls in captivity.

The Co-Founder of the BBOG and CEO of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode, said this in a statement on Saturday in Lagos.

She said that while the call to bring back the girls was voiced by millions of people, “the situation is no longer the same five years after.’’

“The voices are no longer heard, the voices have largely disappeared, I wonder if the lives of the remaining Chibok girls in captivity still matter,” she said.

According to her, extreme violence against women has been the hallmark of this insurgency and therefore going forward in all further discussions and negotiations with the group, protecting the rights of women and girls must be at the top of the agenda.

“Redress and restitution must be sought for the harms that have been committed and we must take all measures necessary, including working with the UN and key international stakeholders to ensure that we guard women from this type of violence going forward,” she added.

Mrs. Oyebode, who expressed her concern on the stigmatisation of victims of the menace, enjoined all and sundry “to pool together and embrace all those that have been affected by this insurgency, so that they would collectively heal on all sides.”

The fifth anniversary, which holds at the African Centre, Great Suffolk Street, London, will also have the Co-Founder of the BBOG New York, Prof. Mojubaolu Olufunke-Okome, as Chair/Moderator and Speaker.

The Executive Director of the Neem Foundation, Psychologist and expert on reintegrating those affected by Boko Haram, Dr Fatima Akilu, will be joined by Bulama Bukarti, Boko Haram Expert and Analyst, at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.

Source:  NAN

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Chibok girls are the students of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, kidnapped by the terrorists group, Boko Haram, on April 14, 2014.

The Presidency who made the assertion of the president known also disclosed reasons behind the non-release of Leah Sharibu, the only student of Science Secondary School, Dapchi, Yobe State, kidnapped along with others on February 19, 2018.

In a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the Presidency said Buhari reminded the parents of the remaining Chibok girls that he had not forgotten their daughters still in the den of the kidnappers.

The Presidency said the president was aware that the  promise he made to bring back the girls was the main reason the people of Chibok voted overwhelmingly for him in the February elections.

He said although his government had so far succeeded in bringing back 107 of the girls, he would not rest until the remaining were reunited with their families.

President Buhari assured the parents that his administration was still on the matter.

Diverse efforts, the president was quoted as saying, were being intensified to secure the release of the Chibok girls, along with all hostages in Boko Haram captivity, including Leah Sharibu.

On Leah Sharibu’s abduction, the Presidency said the interlocutors had reported encouraging progress so far.

“The report reaching us says her return to her family has unfortunately been hindered by the fear of the militants.

“They worry that heavy military presence in areas where they previously moved about freely could affect their safety after they return her to the government.

“At the same time, the military cannot jeopardise the security of the entire north-eastern region by halting their operations to accommodate Boko Haram’s fears.

“Leah Sharibu will be reunited with her family as soon as any conclusions are reached on a number of options being considered for her safe transportation,” the statement reads in part.

The Presidency said the success of the Nigerian military in subduing Boko Haram was evident in the large numbers of militants who had surrendered recently, especially in neighbouring Cameroon and Niger.

It said a similar mass surrender of militants was expected to happen soon in Nigeria.

The Presidency said while Nigerian military operations were ongoing, the government was also engaging with the militants but the talks had been affected by the factionalisation of Boko Haram – with one group adopting a hard line attitude and intensifying attacks on Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad, and another group engaging with the government for peaceful resolution.

“President Buhari also uses this opportunity of the commemoration of the Chibok tragedy to commend the girls, now women, who have triumphed over it all.

“He sends special greetings to the 106 girls sponsored by the Nigerian government to continue their studies at the American University of Nigeria, Yola.

“He encourages them to stay focused on becoming women who will inspire girls in Nigeria and around the world to triumph over the daily battles they face in a world that is often unfair to the girl-child.

“President Buhari also extends his best wishes to Chibok girls in other schools in Nigeria and around the world.

“He sends special congratulations to Kauna Yaga Bitrus, who has excelled beyond expectations in her college in Maine, USA, and who is soon to receive a special ‘Against All Odds Award’ from her school,” the statement reads in part.

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Fall in a statement issued by Kusali Kubwalo, the Communication Analyst, UNICEF Field Office Maiduguri, said the call would serve as reminder to widespread abductions and grave violation of children’s rights in the northeast region.

“More than 3, 500 children aged between 13 and 17 were recruited by non state armed groups between 2013 and 2017; and used in the ongoing conflict in northeast.

“In 2018; some 432 children were killed and maimed; 180 others abducted while 43 girls sexually abused in the war-torn region,” he said.

Fall noted that the figure represented the number of cases verified, adding that true figures were likely to be higher.

“Over 100 of the abducted Chibok school girls remain missing.

“The anniversary of the abduction marked on April 14; is a grim reminder of the widespread abductions of children and grave violations of children’s rights continue to take place in the northeast.

“Children should feel safe at home, in schools and on their playgrounds at all times,” Fall was quoted as saying in the statement.

According to UNICEF, since 2012; non state armed groups had recruited and used children as combatants, non-combatants, raped and forced girls to marry.

It added that armed groups also committed grave violations against children, lamenting that some of the girls become pregnant in captivity and gave birth without any medical care or attention.

The UN children’s agency called on parties to the conflict to fulfill their obligations under international laws, to end all form of violations against children, stop targeting community infrastructure such as schools.

“This is the only way we can begin to make lasting improvements in the lives of children in this devastated part of Nigeria.

“UNICEF continues to offer its support to the Government of Nigeria in its strong efforts to protect the country’s children. UNICEF works with the Borno State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and other partners to support children who have been rescued or escaped from captivity”.

The UN agency disclosed that it had provided community-based reintegration services to over 9, 800 persons formerly associated with armed groups, as well as vulnerable children in communities in the past two years.

It explained that the services entailed assisting children to trace their families and return them to their communities, as well as offer psychosocial, education, vocational training, informal apprenticeships and livelihood supports.

Source: NAN

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