Chronicles of false narratives and inconsistencies by the Nigerian government over the rescue of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls II -By Sesugh Akume

(29 May 2015 – 30 September 2016)

 

2015

29 May: ‘But we cannot claim to have defeated Boko Haram without rescuing the Chibok girls and all other innocent persons held hostage by insurgents.’ President Muhammadu Buhari says in his inaugural speech on being sworn-in as Nigeria’s new president

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-3102001/Muhammadu-Buhari-takes-nation-crisis.html

 

30 June: Babuji Ya’ari, man accused in Boko Haram abduction of Chibok schoolgirls arrested, says Nigerian military

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/nigeria/11709780/Man-accused-in-Boko-Haram-abduction-of-Chibok-girls-arrested.html

 

(Note: This is the exact same person the Nigerian military announced to have been arrested on this same date last year, who ought to have been in custody:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/01/boko-haram-intelligence-cell-broken-up-nigeria)

 

4 July: In President Muhammadu Buhari’s 36 days, Boko Haram kills 406:

http://newswirengr.com/2015/07/04/infographic-in-buharis-36-days-bharam-kills-406-nigerians/#

 

8 July: Ex-president Jonathan’s government’s ‘incompetence in handling the Chibok girls’ issue cannot be rationalised’ says President Buhari in a meeting with the Chibok parents, community, and the #BringBackOurGirls movement:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-33446305 

http://allafrica.com/stories/201507090488.html

 

(Note: He says providing welfare for the distraught parents and Chibok community is ‘a matter of right’.

Below are the 13 specific demands by the #BringBackOurGirls movement:

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/you-must-take-public-apologies-for-govt-failure-on-chibok-girls-bbog-tells-buhari/)

 

13 July: President Buhari replaces military service chiefs:

http://www.ibtimes.com/nigerian-president-buhari-replaces-top-military-chiefs-amid-boko-haram-violence-2006229

 

27 July: Presidency and Boko Haram commence talks to free Chibok girls:

http://thenationonlineng.net/presidency-boko-haram-begin-talks/

 

31 July: The Nigerian is military poorly equipped and unmotivated, a tool of politicians and influenced by foreigners, says sacked chief of defence staff Alex Badeh:

http://m.mgafrica.com/article/2015-07-31-parting-shot-nigerian-military-weak-and-a-tool-of-politicians-and-foreigners-says-sacked-army-chief

 

(Note: This same individual as Nigeria’s military chief had said on 26 May 2014 that they knew where the Chibok girls were, and they will soon be back:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-27582873

Also in January 2015 that, ‘A soldier with his rifle cannot claim to be under-equipped’, denying claims that the Nigerian military was under-equipped:

http://www.informationng.com/2015/01/a-soldier-with-a-rifle-cannot-claim-to-be-under-equipped-badeh.html)

 

1 August: ‘I assure you that we will defeat Boko Haram by the end of this year’, President Muhammadu Buhari says:

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/we-will-defeat-boko-haram-by-end-of-this-year-buhari/

 

(Note: In his inaugural speech on 29 May he defined defeating Boko Haram as ‘rescuing the Chibok girls and all other innocent persons held hostage by insurgents.’)

 

13 August: President Muhammadu Buhari gives the newly-appointed service chiefs a 3-month deadline to defeat the terrorists:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-33913305

 

24 August: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon pleads for unconditional release of Chibok girls, offers support to Nigeria to counter Boko Haram:

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/188897-ban-ki-moon-pleads-for-unconditional-release-of-chibok-girls.html

 

2 September: National Human Rights Commission agrees to the #BringBackOurGirls movement’s request to establish a Missing Persons Register:

http://leadership.ng/news/458153/chibok-girls-nhrc-to-establish-missing-persons-register

 

8 September 2015: ‘They [Boko Haram] have scattered them [our Chibok girls], and are being guarded at dispersed locations… Both ground and air security personnel in Sambisa forest could spot where the girls are…’, President Muhammadu Buhari says:

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/09/chibok-girls-dispersed-some-married-off-appointing-ministers-tough-says-buhari/

 

14 September: President Muhammadu Buhari confirms that his government is holding talks with Boko Haram over abducted chibok girls:

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/09/fg-has-opened-negotiations-with-boko-haram-buhari/

 

29 September 2015: ‘…one of our major aims is to rescue the Chibok girls alive and unharmed. We are working round the clock to ensure their safety and eventual reunion with their families. Chibok girls are constantly on our minds and in our plans.’ President Muhammadu Buhari says at the 70th session of the UN General Assembly

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/nigeria-president-buhari-urges-countries-100106308.html

 

14 October: ‘Structured attacks by the insurgents have reduced and by the end of the year, we should see the final routing of Boko Haram terrorists as a fighting force.’ President Muhammadu Buhari reassures in a meeting with the Commander of United States Africa Command, General David Rodriguez:

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/10/boko-haram-insurgency-ll-end-by-december-buhari-insists/

 

(Note: In his inaugural speech on 29 May he defined defeating or ‘final routing’ of Boko Haram as ‘rescuing the Chibok girls and all other innocent persons held hostage by insurgents.’)

 

26 October: Borno Governor Kashim Shettima says Boko Haram are controlling some local governments in his state. Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai say ‘No Boko Haram is holding any territory in Nigeria at the moment’:

http://thenationonlineng.net/governor-army-chief-disagree-on-boko-harams-territorial-control/

 

3 Nov 2015: The federal government has abandoned reconstruction of GSS Chibok (school where the Chibok schoolgirls were abducted) says Community:

http://allafrica.com/stories/201511040116.html

11 November: Boko Haram insurgency has claimed the lives of 90,000 police officers in 4 years, says Inspector-General of Police Solomon Arase:

http://dailypost.ng/2015/11/12/boko-haram-insurgency-has-claimed-90000-officers-so-far-ig-of-police/

 

(Note: On 22 September, this same inspector-general of police had said 4,000 police operatives were fighting Boko Haram insurgents in the northeast:

http://leadership.ng/news/463094/4000-police-operatives-fighting-boko-haram-in-north-east-igp

 

Other fact checks reveal this claim to be false:

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/194231-fact-check-police-ig-arases-claim-90000-officers-killed-in-boko-haram-insurgency-false.html)

 

14 November: Chibok parents cry out that they feel abandoned by President Muhammadu Buhari and his government, having heard nothing about the rescue efforts (contrary to what was agreed to at the 8 July 2015 meeting with the president):

https://www.thecable.ng/buhari-neglected-us-chibok-parents-lament

 

23 December: Nigerian military has met the December deadline to defeat the Boko Haram terrorists, says Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed:

 http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/195668-we-have-defeated-boko-haram-december-deadline-met-nigeria-says-2.html

 

24 December: ‘Nigeria has technically won the war against Islamist Boko Haram militants’, President Muhammadu Buhari says:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-35173618

 

(Note: He declares a ‘technical defeat’ of boko haram without mentioning our chibok girls, even though he had defined rescuing them and all others as the symbol of defeating Boko Haram in his inaugural address.)

 

30 December 2015: ‘There has been no firm intelligence where those girls are physically and what condition they are in . . .’, President Muhammadu Buhari says. 

(Note: This clearly contradicts his statements from 8 september 2015)

 

‘If a credible leadership of Boko Haram is ready for negotiation without any conditions, we are ready to listen to them.’ He continues. 

 

(Note: By this completely abdicates responsibility, but gives terrorists the power to lead ‘if’ they are ready. 

Second, that they must not have conditions. However, on 14 September he said his government was willing to listen to the terrorists’ conditions. Today he says they would only listen to them if there are no conditions to the negotiations.)

http://www.channelstv.com/2015/12/30/no-reliable-intelligence-on-chibok-girls-location-condition-buhari/

 

31 December: Ahmad Salkida, a well-known journalist who has covered the Boko Haram terrorists for a decade, contradicts the president. Confirms that our girls were alive and reachable on the phone with their parents if the president wishes. That their rescue is feasible, if the president is willing:

http://salkida.com/chibok-girls-what-is-the-president-hiding/

 

(Note: This challenge and opportunity was never taken.)

 

2016

 

9 December: We have defeated Boko Haram, Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai says:

http://dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/we-ve-defeated-boko-haram-army-chief/128222.html

 

12 January: Soldiers bar Chibok parents from travelling for an engagement with the president:

http://pulse.ng/local/chibok-girls-soldiers-stop-girls-parents-from-travelling-to-abuja-for-protest-id4553492.html

 

14 January 2016: President Muhammadu Buhari reiterates in a meeting with the parents, Chibok community, and the #BringBackOurGirls movement that he does not know where the girls were, would not take back his earlier words about a lack of “credible intelligence”, and would not lie in order to please anyone:

http://www.voanews.com/a/nigeria-chibok-girls-parents-unhappy-after-meeting-buhari/3147030.html

 

http://m.guardian.ng/news/photos-tears-flow-as-president-muhammadu-buhari-meets-parents-of-chibok-girls/

14 January: President Muhammadu Buhari orders fresh investigation into Chibok girls’ abduction:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-35317293

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/nnorth-east/196765-buhari-orders-fresh-probe-of-chibok-girls-abduction.html

 

18 January: ‘They [Boko Haram] are currently not holding any territory today as we speak’, President Muhammadu Buhari tells UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

http://thecitizenng.com/headline-2/boko-haram-not-holding-any-territory-in-nigeria-presently-buhari-tells-ban-ki-moon/

 

20 January: Wanted Boko Haram ‘kingpin’, Jarasu Shira believed to be connected with Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction arrested wit 10 others:

http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/man-linked-to-chibok-abductions-arrested/130068.html

 

(Note: This the second person with ties to the abduction arrested. The first was Babuji Ya’ari, on 30 June 2014, and again on 30 June 2015 (even though he ought to have been in custody). No news has come out from his arrests).

 

27 January: Bomb attacks in Chibok kill 16, 49 wounded:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-3420674/16-dead-critically-wounded-Chibok-Nigeria.html

 

3 February: President Muhammadu Buhari at the EU Parliament reiterates pledge to not rest until all chibok girls are rescued:

http://punchng.com/my-goal-is-to-rescue-chibok-girls-alive-buhari/

4 February: Service chiefs say lack of weapons and funds hamper their fight against Boko Haram:

https://www.thecable.ng/service-chiefs-say-funds-equipment-hampering-operations-boko-haram

 

5 February: Nigerian military denies saying they lack weapons to fight Boko Haram:

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/198042-boko-haram-nigerian-military-disputes-account-meeting-senators.html

 

5 February: ‘Today, if anybody tells you he will bring back the Chibok schoolgirls, it is a lie.’ Says ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo:

http://pulse.ng/local/obasanjo-anyone-saying-chibok-girls-will-return-is-telling-lies-ex-president-says-id4660647.html

 

http://europe.newsweek.com/chibok-girls-may-never-be-freed-former-nigerian-president-obasanjo-423970?rm=eu

 

(Note: The ex-president had earlier expressed same sentiments on 14 December 2014:

http://m.en.rfi.fr/africa/20141214-exclusive-obasanjo-slams-jonathan-nigeria-ban-autobiography-libel)

 

6 February: We will locate the Chibok girls and others, says Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar:

http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/we-ll-locate-chibok-girls-others–chief-of-air-staff/132616.html

 

(Note: President Muhammadu Buhari said on 8 September 2015 that the air force had already located the Chibok girls).

 

6 February: Senator Baba Kaka Garbai representing Borno Central says 3 local government areas are firmly under Boko Haram control, only 3 are safe. In the remaining 21, they operate at the outskirts of towns:

http://punchng.com/boko-haram-controls-half-of-borno-senator-garbai/

 

8 February: Governor Kashim Shettima says no LGA in Borno is under Boko Haram control. That Senator Baba Kaka Garbai probably spoke ‘out of emotions’:

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/02/boko-haram-not-occupying-any-local-govt-in-borno-gov-shettima/

 

(Note: This same governor on 26 October 2015 said Boko Haram hold some LGAs in Borno, to which the chief of army staff denied. In saying that Boko Haram no longer holds LGA and other spaces, he does not say when.)

 

8 February: Chibok community responds to former president Olusegun Obasanjo that the Chibok girls can be found and brought back home:

http://leadership.ng/news/499185/girls-can-found-chibok-community-tells-obasanjo

 

10 February: Borno residents back Senator Baba Kaka Garbai, say Boko Haram still controls vast areas in the state:

http://dailypost.ng/2016/02/10/residents-back-garbai-say-boko-haram-still-controls-24-lgs-in-borno/

 

10 February: Nigerian troops fighting the insurgency request President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the non-payment of their allowances:

http://saharareporters.com/2016/02/10/nigerian-troops-request-president-buhari-investigate-non-payment-their-allowances

 

11 February: ‘While they [Boko Haram] were firmly holding 14 out of 774 local governments when we came in, they are not holding any local government now.’ President Muhammadu Buhari tells visiting German President, Joachim Guack:

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/198316-boko-haram-not-holding-nigerian-territory-buhari.html

 

(Note: It’s from Boko Haram not holding any territory on 18 January to not holding any LGA today.)

 

12 February: Possible locations where the Chibok girls are held have been identified, says Nigerian Air force:

http://www.channelstv.com/2016/02/12/possible-locations-of-chibok-girls-identified-air-force/

 

(Note: This is six days after the chief of air staff said the Chibok girls and others will ne located.)

 

13 February: Nigerian Air force denies locating missing Chibok girls:

http://europe.newsweek.com/we-havent-found-chibok-girls-says-nigerian-air-force-426712?rm=eu

 

24 February: Senator Shehu Sani who had had contacts with the terrorists, and had accused the former administration of complacency on the matter says the Chibok girls can be rescued if this government is willing:

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/199002-nigerian-senator-insists-chibok-girls-alive-explains-rescue.html

 

26 February: Boko Haram has been defeated, rescue of Chibok girls is underway, says Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai:

http://sunnewsonline.com/boko-haram-largely-defeated-chibok-girls-will-be-rescued-buratai/

 

6 March: Three schoolgirls kidnapped in their school in Lagos  ued  by the police in six days:

http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/03/07/how-abducted-lagos-schoolgirls-were-rescued-kidnappers-arrested/

7 March: Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Mansur Dan-Ali says South Africa is to send special forces to fight Boko Haram:

http://punchng.com/south-africas-special-forces-to-fight-boko-haram/

 

8 March: Spokesperson for South Africa’s defence ministry, Siphiwe Dlamini says it is false:

http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-03-08-nigeria-is-south-africa-really-joining-the-fight-against-boko-haram/

 

8 March: Commander, US Africa Command, General David Rodriguez accuses President Muhammadu Buhari of exaggerating. Tells a US senate committee that Boko Haram ‘does own some significant territory in Nigeria.’:

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/199950-u-s-general-counters-buhari-says-boko-haram-still-holds-territory-nigeria.html

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/03/13/nigeria-president-accused-overstating-boko-haram-losses.html

 

(Note: It is this same General David Rodriguez that President Muhammadu Buhari had told on 14 October 2015 that Boko Haram will be defeated by the end of 2015.)

 

16 March: Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Senator Jummai Alhassan claims that there is a 24/7 Hotline Desk to provide psychosocial support and other support services on the Chibok girls issues.

Hosea Tsambido, Chibok community leader says it is false:

https://mobile.twitter.com/tsambido/status/710445941820628992?p=v

 

(Note: This same minister has misled the Chibok community and giving false hope in time past:

https://mobile.twitter.com/search?q=@tsambido+jummai+alhassan&s=typd&x=17&y=15)

 

20 March: US, UK governments knew where up to 80 abducted Chibok girls were held but left them in captivity, reports indicate:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3501274/Western-Governments-KNEW-whereabouts-girls-kidnapped-Boko-Haram.html

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/article1680363.ece

 

25 March: Arrested would-be female suicide bomber identifies herself as one of the missing 219 Chibok girls:

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0WR13X

 

26 March: The Presidency says 2 girls aged about 10, would-be suicide bombers, were arrested in Cameroon, was heavily drugged. One claimed to be one of the missing Chibok girls. That a non-governmental organisation (NGO) is sponsoring 2 Chibok parents to Cameroon to identify her:

http://leadership.ng/news/512577/fg-investigate-claims-suicide-bomber-presidency

28 March: Presidency says the would-be suicide bomber who said she is a Chibok girl is aged between 9 and 12, was heavily drugged, and had bruises. That her pictures have been sent to an NGO for verification by interested Chibok community stakeholders:

http://punchng.com/fg-provides-pictures-of-suicide-bomber-for-verification/ 

http://thenationonlineng.net/suicide-bomber-chibok-girls/

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/boko-haram-chibok-girls-parents-going-cameroon-verify-child-suicide-bomber-claim-1551956

 

(Note: The Nigerian government here clearly outsources its responsibility to an NGO.

 

It is also clear that there is no systemic and systematic way of verification and profiling of the Chibok girls and other missing persons. This, even though the #BringBackOurGirls movement developed and gave the government the Verification, Authentication, and Reunification System (VARS) a tool for this purpose.)

 

30 March: The NGO confirms that the female would-be suicide bomber is not a Chibok girl from the testimony of the parents who saw the pictures:

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/201057-suicide-bomber-held-cameroon-not-missing-chibok-schoolgirl-parents.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/nigerian-schoolgirls-would-be-suicide-bomber-is-not-one-of-chibok-students-abducted-by-boko-haram-a6960826.html

(Note: It is important to note that no Nigerian officials including those in Cameroon meet the two victims. All information was sourced from Cameroonian authorities.)

 

2 April 2016: Borno Governor, Kashim Shettima says he deliberately refused to call the president when the Chibok girls abduction took place on the night of 14 April 2014.

Says the then president called him 19 days later:

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/201163-i-not-call-jonathan-chibok-girls-abducted-boko-haram-borno-governor-shettima.html

 

(Note: Had said on 19 May 2015 that he knew where they are held and specified the location:

http://leadership.ng/news/434532/chibok-schoolgirls-held-in-bunkers-gov-shettima

 

Earlier, 13 May 2014, while speaking to our movement, he stated that he knew who the Boko Haram sponsors were, before going on to say “Leadership calls for restraint. If I should speak, heads will roll”:

http://theunion.com.ng/news/boko-haram-if-i-talk-heads-will-roll-gov-shettimawell-do-everything-possible-to-rescue-our-girls-fg/)

3 April: Internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Borno resort to stealing residents’ food to survive:

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/201194-nigerians-displaced-boko-haram-resort-stealing-food-survive.html

 

9 April: Boko Haram demands ‘$50m ransom’ to release Chibok girls:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/09/boko-haram-demands-50m-ransom-for-release-of-kidnapped-chibok-sc/

 

13 April: Missing Chibok girl her father:

https://www.naij.com/795890-2-years-missing-chibok-schoolgirl-called-father-read-happened-afterward.html

 

12 April: Reports emerge that other Chibok parents also got calls from their missing daughters’ mobile phone numbers, but could not reach them back:

http://punchng.com/five-chibok-parents-received-calls-from-missing-girls-mobiles/

 

13 April: Boko Haram releases ‘Proof-of-life’ video showing the Chibok girls are alive:

http://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2016/04/13/chibok-girls-boko-haram-proof-of-life-video-sdg-orig.cnn

 

14 April: TWO YEARS OF THE CHIBOK SCHOOLGIRLS’ ABDUCTION

 

14 April: ‘President Muhammadu Buhari stands in solidarity with the Parents of the abducted #ChibokGirls and as well as the #BringBackOurGirls Family.’ Says Garba Shehu, his senior special assistant on media and publicity:

https://mobile.twitter.com/GarShehu/status/720724035928264705?p=v

 

14 April: Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters dismisses new Chibok girls’ video, calls it a ‘so-called, concocted video’, a ‘blackmail and mere media war’:

http://dailypost.ng/2016/04/15/new-boko-haram-video-showing-chibok-girls-could-be-fake-dhq/

 

14 April: Nigerian government delegation visits Chibok, reassures on commitment to rescue Chibok girls:

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/201824-nigerian-government-delegation-visits-chibok-reassures-commitment-find-missing-girls.html

 

20  April: Abducted Chibok schoolgirls’ general location has been known for 2 years this month, says US intelligence:

http://uncova.com/abducted-nigerian-girls-have-not-been-abandoned-us-says

 

22 April: The US is poised to provide Nigeria with information and intelligence needed to locate the missing Chibok girls and fight Boko Haram, says US Ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power:

http://www.african-defense.com/defense-news/us-to-share-intelligence-with-nigeria/

 

11  May: President Muhammadu Buhari says he has not watched the ‘proof-of-life’ video, and meeting Chibok parents is not good for his emotional health:

http://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2016/05/11/buhari-intv-amanpour-nigeria-chibok-girls.cnn

14 May: Taking Sambisa forest, rescuing Chibok girls our last major task, as the Nigerian military have ‘considerably degraded’ the Boko Haram terrorists, says President Muhammadu Buhari:

http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/05/15/buhari-taking-sambisa-rescuing-chibok-girls-our-last-major-task/

 

17  May: Amina Ali Nkeki, the first of 219 missing Chibok schoolgirls returns with a baby  in the company of a man, was found by military-backed local vigilantes, the Civilian JTF.

Nigerian army claims to have rescued her, give her name as ‘Falmata Mbalala’:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/18/one-of-abducted-chibok-girls-released-from-boko-haram—reports/

http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/05/18/military-confirms-the-rescue-of-one-chibok-girls/

 

19 May: President Muhammadu Buhari receives Amina Ali with her baby, along with her mother and brother at the State House Abuja. Says even though the past cannot be reversed, the government will do everything it can to ensure that het life takes a ‘completely new turn. She will get the best care: medical, psychological, emotional, etc. Her education is a top priority:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-36328583

 

(Note: Read the president’s full statement here:

https://mobile.facebook.com/TheAsoVilla/videos/476714405852627/?_rdr&refsrc=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FTheAsoVilla%2Fvideos%2F476714405852627%2F)

 

19 May: Nigerian army announces recue of a second Chibok schoolgirl. ‘Her name is Miss Serah Luka, who is number 157 on the list of the abducted school girls.’ The statement said:

http://www.ibtimes.com/who-serah-luka-second-missing-chibok-schoolgirl-found-2-years-after-boko-haram-2371646

 

(Note: The only known ‘list of abducted Chibok schoolgirls’ referred to by the military’s statement is the list produced and circulated by the #BringBackOurGirls movement. Number 157 is not Serah Luka. ‘Serah Luka’ does not appear anywhere on the list.)

 

20 May: Chibok parents say Serah Luka is not one of the 218 missing Chibok girls:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/20/second-nigerian-girl-serah-luka-flee-boko-haram-not-from-chibok

http://punchng.com/rescued-girl-serah-luka-not-on-our-list-chibok-parents/

 

3 June: Fraudsters are demanding money for Chibok girls’ rescue, says President Muhammadu Buhari:

http://punchng.com/fraudsters-demanding-money-chibok-girls-release-buhari/

 

9 June: National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the #BringBackOurGirls movement collaborate to establish databank of missing persons in Nigeria:

http://oak.tv/tag/bbog-to-establish-databank-of-missing-persons-in-nigeria/

 

20 June: Maggots in the leg of an amputee soldier after begging the army for prosthesis, and other horrific reports of troops’ welfare begin to emerge:

https://www.thecable.ng/forgotten-soldiers-maggots-in-my-leg-an-amputee-soldiers-44-months-of-begging-the-army-for-original-prosthesis

 

26 June: [Report]: Amina Ali Nkeki: Rescued but still ‘missing’ Chibok girl:

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/06/amina-ali-nkeki-rescued-still-missing-chibok-girl/

 

29 June: Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai doubts if the Chibok girls are still alive, says no part of Nigerian territory is held by the terrorists:

http://dailytimes.ng/doubtful-chibok-girls-alive-coas/

 

30 June: ‘We are not letting up our efforts to rescue the Chibok girls, our priority is to rescue them unharmed’, President Muhammadu Buhari says:

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/priority-rescue-chibok-girls-buhari/

 

6 July: Committee  to conduct a fresh investigation into the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls may soon begin work, presidency sources say President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the list of the committee members:

https://www.today.ng/news/nigeria/149172/fresh-probe-chibok-girls-abduction

 

(Note: On 14 January, six months prior the president had approved a fresh investigation into the abduction and the causes for failure to rescue them. Six months, only the list of committee members have been approved, it is yet to be inaugurated and given the go ahead.)

 

8 July: None of the specific demands agreed to at the 8 July 2015 meeting is completed, one full year on:

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/one-year-buhari-yet-meet-demands-bbog-laments/

 

11 July: Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu denies that President Muhammadu Buhari has failed to fulfil his promises at the 8 July 2015 meeting. That he in fact made no such promises, contrary to evidence:

https://mobile.twitter.com/GarShehu/status/752581795145809921?p=v

https://mobile.twitter.com/JeffOkoroafor/status/752678712777334785?p=v

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/chibok-girls-buharill-never-make-bogus-promises-presidenc/

 

1 August: Binta Ali, mother of returned Chibok girl, Amina Ali both kept apart fears for her daughter’s future:

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN10C2EY

 

3  August: IS announces Abu Musab al-Barnawi as ISWAP, its West Africa affiliate, Boko Haram’s new leader:

http://linkis.com/www.bbc.com/news/RWnUh

https://www.thecable.ng/boko-haram-names-al-barnawi-as-new-leader

 

4 August: Nigerian government dismisses 4 appointment of new Boko Haram leader:

http://www.channelstv.com/2016/08/04/fg-dismisses-reported-appointment-of-new-boko-haram-leader/

 

4 August: Abubakar Shekau says in released audio message that he is still the leader:

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/08/boko-haram-abubakar-shekau-160804070145823.html

 

8 August: We have defeated Boko Haram, says Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai:

http://punchng.com/weve-defeated-boko-haram-says-buratai/

14 August: Boko Haram releases ‘plea-for-rescue’ video wherein a Chibok girl Dorcas Yakubu speaks their parents in the mother tongue to do whatever they can to rescue them:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-37076644

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/boko-haram-releases-new-video-alleged-chibok-girls/

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/08/14/africa/boko-haram-video-missing-girls/

 

14 August: Nigerian military say it is studying the newly-released Boko Haram video to verify its authenticity:

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/208575-nigerian-military-reacts-boko-harams-new-video-accusing-killing-chibok-girls.html

 

14 August: Ahmad Salkida, Ahmed Umar Bolori, and Aisha Wakil declared wanted by the Nigerian army for withholding information on the whereabouts of the Chibokgirls:

http://breaking.com.ng/nigeria/chibok-girls-army-declares-3-persons-wanted/

 

14 August: Nigerian army ask Ahmed Umar Bolori whom they declared wanted and turned himself in to go home and return the next day:

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/208607-nigerian-army-confused-asks-wanted-man-ahmed-bolori-go-home-turned.html

 

16 August: ‘I just want to go home’, Amina Ali says:

http://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUKKCN10R20Y

 

16 August: Director of Defence Information, Brigadier-General Rabe Abubakar, says Ahmad Salkida and 2 other persons declared wanted by the military over the fresh video of the abducted girls were only invited for questioning.

‘We only inviting [sic] them to shed light on pending issues that will support current military efforts and not to arrest them’, he said:

http://www.channelstv.com/2016/08/16/military-to-level-boko-haram-camps-in-sambisa-in-search-of-chibok-girls/

 

17 August: Escaped Chibok girl, Amina Ali says she misses her ‘husband’ (that person she was found in the company of):

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/08/16/africa/chibok-girl-amina-ali-nkeki-boko-haram-husband/

 

(Note: Recall President Muhammadu Buhari’s promise of his government’s commitment to provide Amina Ali’s the best possible care and welfare when on 19 May 2016.)

 

20 August: Over 20 000 captives rescued from Boko Haram captivity so far, says Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai:

http://dailypost.ng/2016/08/21/far-rescued-20000-persons-boko-haram-buratai/ 

 

21 August: Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar says the video showing Chibok girls is ‘technically deficient’ and ‘cheap propaganda’. That Nigerian air force does not know where the Chibok girls are, nor can identify them if or when seen:

http://thenationonlineng.net/air-chief-weve-not-given-chibok-girls/

 

22 August: The #BringBackOurGirls movement commences on marches to the State House every 3 working days to compel President Muhammadu Buhari to take any of 3 decisions to rescue the Chibok girls: (a) military force, (b) negotiation, (c) a combination of (a) and (b); but he must act presently:

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/chibok-girls-mr-president-no-excuses-bbog-tells-buhari/

 

(Note: The #BringBackOurGirls movement has advocated for over 2 years that the president (irrespective of which individual is occupying the office at the time) has only these 3 options and must decide and act:

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/09/three-options-bring-back-chibok-girls-oby-ezekwesili/#sthash.cZb3opEx

 

23 August: Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau ‘fatally wounded’ in airstrike, Nigerian military says:

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/08/23/nigeria-claims-it-killed-boko-haram-leader-in-raid.html

 

(Note: This is the fourth time this same individual has been reportedly killed by Nigerian security forces.)

 

23 August: ‘You know the current situation of the Chibok girls and the government is trying to get really credible information about them.’ Former President Yakubu Gowon briefs State House journalists on his meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in his office:

http://punchng.com/gowon-meets-buhari-chibok-girls-others/

 

28 August: President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigeria is ready to dialogue with a bona fide but ‘modified’ Boko Haram leadership. 

If they do not want to speak with his government directly, they may choose an internationally recognised NGO and convince them with evidence of holding the Chibok girls. 

That he learned of the divisions in Boko Haram in the media:

http://www.africanews.com/2016/08/28/nigeria-ready-to-exchange-boko-haram-detainees-for-chibok-girls-buhari/

 

31 August: Chibok girls’ swap with terrorists in custody not sign of failure, says Nigerian army:

http://punchng.com/chibok-girls-swap-not-sign-failure-army/

 

5 September: Nigerian government knows where our girls are, Chibok community insists:

http://punchng.com/fg-knows-girls-chibok-community/ 

 

6 September: Nigerian Police Force bans the #BringBackOurGirls movement from marching without ‘police approval’:

http://punchng.com/fg-knows-girls-chibok-community/

 

(Note: A Federal High Court had specifically ruled that the police cannot ban the #BringBackOurGirls movement (or any other) from peaceful assembly or movement. That no permit or approval is required to do these.

http://www.metropole.ng/index.php/all-categories/item/2869-bbog-police-has-no-right-to-ban-protests-court-rules

http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sunday/index.php/news/18590-bbog-fct-high-court-rules-in-favour-of-group)

 

7 September: Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris declares the #BringBackOurGirls movement a ‘security threat’: 

http://punchng.com/chibok-girls-protests-constitute-security-threat-ig/

 

9 September: Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Aisha Jummai Alhassan says she met with the Chibok parents yesterday. 

‘The parents of the abducted Chibok Girls are happy with the commitment of the FG towards ensuring that the girls return safe.’ Says she:

https://twitter.com/SenAishaAlhassn/status/774170280528707584

https://mobile.twitter.com/SenAishaAlhassn/status/774195226705596417?p=v

 

9 September: Nigeria Police Force says there is no ban on public protests, however the police will determine the destinations of marches and which routes to be used:

https://t.co/uMDNKmlwwQ

 

(Note: No law in Nigeria empowers the police to determine where protesters march to, or which routes to use.)

 

13 September: Boko Haram has been decimated, Nigerian army says:

 https://t.co/rQXBThdF7k 

 

12 September: Nigerian US-based philanthropist and guardian of the Chibok girls in the US says the federal government is being deceitful, and analyses the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Aisha Jummai Alhassan’s statements on 9 September:

http://247ureports.com/fgns-deceit-on-us-chibok-girls-response-of-ogebe-esq/

 

15 September: 4 Chibok parents killed by Boko Haram, 15 dead of trauma say Chibok leaders:

https://newtelegraphonline.com/four-chibok-girls-parents-killed-boko-haram-kada/

 

15 September: Don’t blackmail BBOG Chibok national leadership says. ‘We are solidly in support of citizens’ movement, the BBOG. We have absolute trust in the movement and its members for their civility. We appreciate their resilience in staying for all this while with us as traumatized community’, their address by National Chairman, Kibaku Area Development Association (KADA), Dr Bitrus Pogu read: 

http://www.thepost-ng.com/dont-blackmail-bbog-chibok-community-tells-fg/

 

16 September: Nigerian government gives account of efforts to negotiate with the terrorists on release of the Chibok girls (July – December 2015).

That they are in touch with the terrorists. They made repeated w. The girls would have been back except that the terrorists keep changing their demands when a swap is about to happen. That a change in the terrorists’ leadership is also an impediment. But they have not given up:

http://omojuwa.com/2016/09/information-minister-lai-mohammed-gives-update-chibok-girls-swap/

 

(Note: This clearly contradicts President Muhammadu Buhari’s stance as from 24 December 2015 that he does not know their whereabouts, and has difficulty identifying Boko Haram leadership.)

 

21 September: Over 20 000 captives rescued from Boko Haram captivity so far, says Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai: http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/09/21/army-over-2m-captives-freed-from-boko-haram-2/

 

(Note: One month ago this same chief of army staff said over ’20 000′ captives have been rescued, today it is ‘over 2 million’.)

 

22 September:  President Muhammadu Buhari invites the UN to help negotiate Chibok girls’ release

http://m.guardian.ng/news/buhari-wants-un-mediation-for-chibok-schoolgirls/

http://m.guardian.ng/news/fg-ready-to-pay-for-chibok-girls-release/

 

(Note: UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon did not respond to this direct request.)

 

24 September: No LGA in Nigeria is under Boko Haram control, their attacks are launched from the Republic of Niger, says says Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai:

http://leadership.ng/news/551907/no-local-government-under-occupation-of-boko-haram-buratai-2

 

24 September: Abubakar Shekau in new released Boko Haram video denies Nigerian military claims that he is dead:

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/09/purported-leader-boko-haram-resurfaces-video-160925154948729.html

 

25 September: There will be no dialogue with Shekau on Chibok girls, Nigerian army says, and orders him to release the Chibok girls unconditionally:

http://m.guardian.ng/news/why-there-will-be-no-dialogue-with-shekau-on-chibok-girls-by-military/

 

(Note: This is 3 days after President Muhammadu Buhari requested the UN to negotiate with Boko Haram for release of the Chibok girls.)

 

29 September: It is revealed President Muhammadu Buhari said last week that he is fed up and will no longer  or do anything about the Chibok girls.

‘I have addressed this issue three times, and I have no intention of doing anything again until they come out to identify themselves as leaders of Boko Haram, and that they are the ones holding these girls,’ he said:

 https://t.co/7koDzaksDT

 

30 September: #BringBackOurGirls unravel the contradictions, inconsistencies, and insincerity in the federal government’s address of 16 September 2016:

http://www.bringbackourgirls.ng/get-our-girls-out-now/

 

EXTRA

 

1 October: Nigerian government says Boko Haram leaders holding the Chibok girls are unknown (and so it is difficult to negotiate with them – President Muhammadu Buhari’s position) AND the government has been discussing with the leaders holding the girls but their demands keep changing. And there is no contradiction!

‘There shall be no closure on the Boko Haram issue until and when the Chibok girls are released and returned to the safety of their families.’ Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed says:

https://www.naij.com/991589-lai-mohammed-speaks-missing-chibok-girls-bbog.html

 

5 October: President Muhammadu Buhari rejected Boko Haram’s €5 billion ransom for Chibok girls, as revealed in his biography:

http://ynaija.com/buhari-rejected-boko-harams-n1-7trn-ransom-for-chibok-girls/

 

[Note: 9 April 2016 $50 million was the reported figure Boko Haram asking.] 

 

5  October: Boko Haram has no base in Nigeria beyond Sambisa forest, says Nigerian army. Their last know stronghold Mallam Fatori was captured on 27 September 2016:

http://punchng.com/bharam-no-base-nigeria-military/

 

8 October: Journalist Ahmad Salkida identifies himself as the sole negotiator for the Nigerian government (contrary to ‘negotiators’) referred to in the Nigerian government’s address of 16 September on their rescue efforts.

Says the government never acted within the agreed stipulated timeframe. The government since 2014 has never been wholeheartedly committed to the return of the Chibok girls, and his life is in danger:

http://salkida.com/why-chibok-girls-freedom-continues-as-mirage/

Attacks by the Nigerian state on the #BringBackOurGirls movement and personally on its leaders for consistently demand the rescue the Chibok girls

 

29 June: Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai says, ‘The issue of the Chibok schoolgirls has been politicised.’ This, to the detriment of the war against the insurgency. Politicians and the public render the military’s efforts valueless by placing high premium on the rescue of the Chibok girls above others.

http://dailytimes.ng/doubtful-chibok-girls-alive-coas/

 

11 July: Presidency says the #BringBackOurGirls movement is ‘insensitive to the loss of lives and livelihoods of other Nigerians as well as the plight of those facing the humanitarian tragedy’, thus attempting to incite the Nigerian and global public against it:

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/206714-presidency-attacks-bringbackourgirls-group.html

 

(Note: As the name/hashtag/rallying cry implies, this single-issue advocacy is about the rescue and safe return of the Chibok girls.

The bond of shared humanity and a clear understand of the social contract between the government (whose primary duty is security and welfare of citizens), and the citizens compelled people of goodwill irrespective of divides, class, religion, politics, etc to unite for this singular cause.

However, the coalition crowd-sourced and produced the 10-point Citizens’ Solutions to End Terrorism’:

http://www.bringbackourgirls.ng/citizens-solution-to-end-terrorism/

 

Advocated for profiling and identification of citizens rescued from Boko Haram, in order to commence their rehabilitation, reunification with family and community, and resettlement since April 2015. The state having failed to do this, the Verification, Authentication, and Reunification System was developed as a tool and handed over to the government:

The Missing Persons Register.

The movement began highlighting the humanitarian tragedy of IDPs since 2014, with visits to IDPs as from September 2014. On World Refugee Day 2015, it was the only known body to have held ab event on that day. Not the presidency, no government ministry, department or agency did anything to mark that day.

Recently, the ‘Options Note for Rebuilding the Northeast’ was developed and submitted to the presidency and the National Assembly:

Celebrated every Armed Forces Remembrance Day with special event and advocated for the welfare of troops at the frontlines.

 

And other numerous activities.)

 

20 August: Presidency tells Oby Ezekwesili ‘to come out of the shadow of the grieving Chibok parents, register a political party and go into the election against the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari.’

http://www.nigeriatoday.ng/2016/08/garba-shehu-wasting-his-talent-on-wrong-priorities-ezekwesili-blasts-fg-again/

 

6 September: The Nigeria police says of #BringBackOurGirls marches, ‘These indiscriminate actions which are carried out in disorderly and sometimes riotous manner create unwarranted tension and apprehension among law abiding citizens and in the process obstruct legitimate business activities.’ 

http://punchng.com/fg-knows-girls-chibok-community/

 

6 September: Hundreds of armed anti-riot policemen and women physically, forcefully prevent a #BringBackOurGirls march:

http://saharareporters.com/2016/09/08/anti-riot-police-prevent-bbog-protesters-holding-meeting-abuja

 

7 September: Inspector-General of Police says,’. . . the activities of the BringBackOurGirls group in Abuja, the nation’s capital recently, is becoming worrisome and a threat to public peace and order.

‘The #BringBackOurGirls protagonists must understand that in the exercise of their rights, they must not trample on other peoples’ rights through over-dramatisation of emotions, self-serving propaganda and disrespect of public (office) holders.’

http://punchng.com/chibok-girls-protests-constitute-security-threat-ig/

 

(Note: See President Muhammadu Buhari’s remarks on the importance of the #BringBackOurGirls movement on 8 July 2015:

http://m.guardian.ng/news/buhari-meets-bbog-campaigners-vows-to-defeat-boko-haram/

 

Read an international journal’s opinion and significance of the movement here:

http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/07/16/bring-back-our-democracy-nigeria-boko-haram/)

 

8  September: Hundreds of armed anti-riot policemen and women mass at Unity Fountain Abuja to physically prevent a #BringBackOurGirls march:

http://saharareporters.com/2016/09/08/anti-riot-police-prevent-bbog-protesters-holding-meeting-abuja

 

9 September: ‘. . . none of the members of BBOG has visited Chibok to know about the feelings of the parents of the girls.

‘They can make a whole lot of noise from the comfort of Abuja, They can dramatize the whole thing. Some of them are former minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and know the protocol of visiting the President, but choose to dramatize their visit.’ Kashim Shettima, Borno governor says:

http://leadership.ng/news/550052/gov-shettima-blasts-bbog-group-for-not-marching-to-chibok

 

19 September:  Senior Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, says Boko Haram took and are keeping the Chibok girls, not President Muhammadu Buhari, therefore the #BringBackOurGirls protests should be confined to Unity Fountain Abuja and not taken to the State House:

 http://dailypost.ng/2016/09/20/boko-haram-kidnapped-chibok-girls-not-buhari-stop-coming-aso-rock-ojudu-blasts-bbog-group/?utm_source=snap_dp1&utm_medium=twitter

 

(Note: This very same individual was a #BringBackOurGirls advocate at the inception in 2014 when he was an opposition senator.

3 June 2014:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XB4paB6dOJo

http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2014/06/03/senator-ojudu-dares-mbu-stages-bringbackourgirls-protest

 

He was also at the State House to engage with the former president over the matter:

https://mobile.twitter.com/bukolasaraki/status/461605885459304450)

 

28 September: UN shows interest in harassment of #BringBackOurGirls members:

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/09/un-shows-interest-harassment-bringbackourgirls-members/