FG to Rebuild Chibok School, Deploys More Troops in North-east

Saleh Abubakar, who claims to be a member of Boko Haram being interviewed by CBS News contributor, Debra Patta Photo: CBS News

Abubakar Saleh, who claims to be a member of Boko Haram, during his interview with CBS News Photo: CBS News

• Borno earmarks N150m for escaped schoolgirls, parents • Boko Haram member: Girls will be held until prisoners are freed • Sect vows to kidnap more female students
Our Correspondents

President Goodluck Jonathan Tuesday vowed that the federal government would rebuild Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, where more than 200 female students were abducted over a month ago by Boko Haram.

The federal government’s commitment to rebuild the school in Chibok was complemented by the Borno State Government’s announcement that it had earmarked N150 million for the rehabilitation of the 53 girls who escaped captivity and the parents of others still held captive by the terrorists.

The president also ordered the deployment of additional troops to complement the ongoing military operations in combating the Boko Haram menace in the North-east.

However, as the global effort to find and rescue the girls gathers pace, a member of the terror sect said in an interview granted to US television network CBS News on Monday that the girls would remain captive until the federal government released Boko Haram fighters in detention.

The president, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, reiterated Nigeria’s determination to ensure the safety and security of schools in Borno and other parts of the country, and also provide counselling services to any affected students to enable them return to school and continue with their academic work.

He said: “Furthermore, the Federal Government of Nigeria will rebuild the Chibok School and fortify security in schools. In collaboration with the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Education and former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the private sector, the government will launch the 'Safe Schools Initiative', which will address security issues; re-build the destroyed schools; and provide equipment and materials.”

During the onslaught on the school and its students, members of the sect razed hostels, classrooms and the administrative block in the premises, rendering it uninhabitable.

The president also expressed the country’s deepest appreciation to the international community on the success of the recent summit in Paris on the security situation in Nigeria hosted by the President of France, Mr. Francois Hollande.

“He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the implementation of the resolutions reached by the summit, in addition to existing measures already being taken by the administration to combat terrorism and ensure the safety of lives.

“President Jonathan states that the Federal Government of Nigeria is prepared to strengthen existing mechanisms to ensure the immediate implementation of the resolutions of the summit, among which are:
“That every necessary measure should be taken to find the school girls abducted by Boko Haram terrorists from Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State on April 14, 2014;

“That Nigeria and other countries in the sub-region will continue to cooperate and coordinate efforts to combat the Boko Haram menace.

“That the Heads of State have agreed that each country will contribute one battalion of troops to the international force set up to patrol the border areas, in line with the Resolution of the Lake Chad Basin Commission. France, United States of America and the United Kingdom will extend technical assistance to achieve this objective;

“That the countries will come together to put in place an effective border management regime;

“That no effort will be spared to stop the proliferation of small arms and light weapons and the supply of arms and equipment made available to terrorists.”

The statement added that the president considered these measures very useful aspects of the concerted international effort to combat terrorism and put an end to the Boko Haram menace.

It added that Jonathan had directed relevant government agencies to ensure enhanced implementation of some programmes in the areas affected by Boko Haram atrocities.

The programme, the statement listed, includes emergency relief assistance and intensification of ongoing relief assistance programmes by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in partnership with donor agencies.
“The programme will ensure the rapid deployment of relief assistance to the affected local government areas and communities. This will include provision of food supplies, medical supplies, basic relief commodities, and conditional cash transfer programmes for affected households,” it said.

In terms of rapid needs assessment, the statement said in order to support additional intervention programmes in the region, the president had also directed that ongoing rapid needs assessment by government agencies should be accelerated to identify affected communities and households and assess the extent of damage to public and private infrastructure, amongst others.

Additional Troops Deployed in N’East
In addition, the president ordered the deployment of additional troops to complement the ongoing military operation in combating the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-east.

The increase in troops was announced at the National Briefing Centre on terrorism yesterday in Abuja.

The centre also disclosed that a structure to coordinate the activities of forces from the allied countries in the ongoing search and rescue operations for the over 200 abducted school girls had been set up and would commence operation soon.

Coordinator of the briefing centre and Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri, who briefed journalists, stated that the additional troops were deployed to complement the activities of the recently formed Regional Alliance against Insurgency.

“The President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has ordered the deployment of additional troops to re-enforce the ongoing military operations in the North-east zone. This action came in the wake of the regional alliance to checkmate the activities of Boko Haram in the region, and also goes to strengthen the president's resolve to rescue the missing girls and his commitment to provide total security for Nigerians,” he said.

He however did not disclose the numerical strength of the newly deployed troops in order not to reveal the operational details of the armed forces.
“We cannot disclose this for operational reasons, you do not want to disclose your strength to your enemies,” Omeri said.

Also at the centre, the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Chris Olukolade, explained that the operational structures were set up in identified locations, mainly in operational zones.

“Structures for coordination of the activities of the inputs of allied countries’ forces in the ongoing search and rescue operations had been set up and is awaiting take-off,” he explained.

Speaking on the twin bomb explosions that rocked the central area of Jos metropolis yesterday, Omeri said security forces had been mobilised to the scene of the blasts and adequate information on how the bombing was carried out would be ascertained.

“We got information from Jos that two explosions occurred in the central area of Jos; the police and other security forces in the city have mobilised to the scene; we will eventually have adequate information on what has happened,” he stated.

Omeri recalled that the North-central city has had security challenges, but said the armed forces and other services had strived very hard to ensure peace in the area.

“Jos is in the North-central zone and has had its own challenges, you also know the efforts of the armed forces and other services in ensuring peace, including the communities that have shown determination and strong resolve to have peace,” he said.

Mba: We’re Determined to Rescue the Girls
Also, the Force Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police, Mr. Frank Mba, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), has restated the determination of the Nigerian Military to rescue the abducted schoolgirls.

Speaking in an interview on Arise Television, which was monitored in Lagos yesterday, Mba declared; “Our focus is to find our daughters and sisters in order to reunite them with their families. We are not just bringing them home, but ensuring that all of them come back safely.”

He said the collaboration with the Americans in the current war against terror in Nigeria was to ensure that the problem is resolved.
“The war against terrorism is a total war and we have the determination with our collaborators to win the war at all costs,” he said.

According to him, to demonstrate the new sense of purpose on the war on terror, suspected masterminds of the second Nyanya bomb blast were rounded up shortly after the dastardly act.

Mba stated that even the suspect, Sadiq Ogwuche, who fled to Sudan was also arrested with the collaboration of Interpol added that extradition formalities were now ongoing to bring him back to face criminal charges in Nigeria.

He also cited the effectiveness of the security forces in forestalling a bigger disaster in Kano when a car loaded with explosives was intercepted before the terrorists could cause any damage.

He agreed with the interviewer that there was outrage and pressure to bring back the girls as quickly as possible, but maintained that the security forces are not resting on their oars.

N150m for Escaped Girls, Parents
In the meantime, the Borno State Government yesterday disclosed that it had earmarked the sum of N150 million for the rehabilitation of the 53 girls of Chibok, who escaped from Boko Haram captivity.

It also said the amount would be used to assist the traumatised parents whose daughters are still held by the sect.

The state governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, while addressing the chairman of the presidential fact-finding committee on the abduction of Chibok schoolgirls, Brig-Gen. Ibrahim Sabo (rtd), in Maiduguri, said while the amount would cover medical, counselling of the 53 girls who escaped, it would also provide material support for the grieving parents who have not been able to focus on their sources of livelihood.

Shettima, who was responding to the address by Sabo, said the initial doubts expressed over the abduction of the schoolgirls and the theory that his government staged-managed it was as painful as the actual abduction.

The governor, who said the state government had spent N1 billion since the beginning of the year as palliatives to victims of Boko Haram insurgency, added: “Unfortunately, we had to hold what we should have done for Chibok because of the politics brought in.

“If we had released some material support earlier, some bad elements would have said we tried to buy the people of Chibok. Unlike other communities in which private houses and markets were destroyed, public institutions like the school, the council secretariat, the residence of the council chairman and some few shops were destroyed in Chibok.”

According to him, “Borno State has seen evil times. Our people have suffered. At times, when I lament this carnage in the midst of some associates, they remind me that I didn’t create Boko Haram, that in fact, I inherited it in 2011 when I was sworn in amidst the near complete breakdown of security in Maiduguri, the largest and most populated part of the state.

“But I normally say to them, that a leader is elected or appointed to solve problems, it doesn’t matter whether the leader created the problem or not. A leader is elected to find a solution, this is governance. There is a whole difference between politics and governance.

“It hurts me, however, that there was all kinds of politics that was not introduced into that unfortunate Chibok incident. Even religion was brought in, all for the purpose of blame trade.

“In politics, you tell the general public and victims about a problem, you tell them the gravity of the problem; and with emphasis, you tell them who to blame for it.

“But in governance, you identify a problem and work hard to solve it. Unfortunately for us in this interesting country, we all appear to lay more emphasis on politics than on governance. The Chibok incident, for me, has grossly exposed our weighty weakness as leaders in terms of assuming our shared responsibilities.”

He pointed out that for two or three months, the entire western world mobilised men and resources and contributed so much funds in the search for a Malaysian Airline, which was believed to have crashed into the ocean.

“Majority in the western world suspected that the crew and passengers of that Malaysian airline were most probably dead. Despite that, massive investment was and is still being deployed in the search of whatever can be found as remains of those in that plane and its wreckage.

“Now, while that was going on, here is Nigeria, there was a report that over 200 human creatures, young Nigerian girls about to complete their secondary school education, where attacked in their school at night and whisked away like slaves in ancient years.

“The politics didn’t help anybody at the end of the day, because soon after that incident, we thought that our 53 daughters that either witnessed that attack or escaped from abduction be flown abroad for psychological counselling and some medical examinations.

“But then, with the politics of doubt over the abduction, if the state government had flown these 53 girls abroad, the doubting Thomases would have used that to claim that the 53 girls were non-existent or they would have probably said, we were taking the girls away from the public, probably because we had something to hide,” he added.

‘Girls Will be Held Prisoners Until Prisoners Are Released’

However, despite the concerted efforts by the federal and Borno State Governments, as well as the international community to find and rescue the girls, a member of the sect, in an interview with CBS news, vowed that they would be held captive until the federal government released Boko Haram members from prison.

Speaking to Debra Patta, a CBS News contributor at an undisclosed location in northern Nigeria, the member, who called himself Saleh Abubakar, said: “If Allah wishes, nothing will happen to them,” he said. “But we ask the government if they don't release our brothers, we are not going to release them.”

Although very nervous at first, Abubakar was brazen enough to walk through heavy security and police cordons to speak to CBS News.

This was in line with what a source connected to the group had said that Boko Haram members move freely around the country and are integrated into many levels of society.

Asked whether the girls will be killed if the government does not release the prisoners, he replied, “I will not tell you what we are going to do.”

Abubakar also told CBS News the abductions had been planned for three months before they happened, and he warned that Boko Haram intends to kidnap more schoolgirls.

The group draws its inspiration from al-Qaeda, and he claimed they have networks around the world, including America.

Throughout the interview, Abubakar hid his face except his eyes with a keffiyeh scarf, popular among men in North Africa and the Middle-East, and had initially expressed reluctance to speak to CBS.

He said he's been a member of Boko Haram for seven years and started by opening up on the attack on the Chibok School: “We go to their school and attack some of the soldiers and policemen."
But when asked why his group decided to target schoolgirls, Abubakar abruptly ended the interview, asking for a safer, indoor location.

He told CBS News he had seen the girls three weeks ago, and they were being well cared for.

When asked about reports of the girls being sick and requiring medical attention, Abubakar denied them.

“No, it’s lie. They don’t have problem at all,” he said.
“Some of them will complain of headache; we have medicine,” he said, when asked if any of the girls were sick. “We have everything in the place where we keep them.”

He told CBS News nothing would happen to the girls as long as the government releases Boko Haram fighters being held in Nigerian jails.

He refused to say whether the girls had been moved across the border and claimed they would no longer be sold as slaves because they had all converted willingly to Islam.

Asked if any had been sold into marriage, he replied, “We do not marry them.”

He said the girls had converted to Islam willingly. As a result, they'd been spared being sold into slavery, as the group's leader had threatened.

“We didn't make them convert to Islam by force, just by preaching, you understand,” he said.

When pressed on whether abducting the girls and forcing them to convert to Islam was the same as forcing them, he said, “As I tell you, we are not forcing anyone to accept Islam. We are just preaching to them.”

Trying to justify the targeting of children, he said: “You see the enemies among the children, it’s acceptable to fire on all of them. You cannot differentiate the children.”

The Nigerian Government said Boko Haram is linked to al Qaeda, but Abubakar would not confirm if al Qaeda funds their terrorist group.

“No, no, I am not going to tell you anything about this, but they are my brothers in Islam. Even in America, we have brothers,” Abubakar said.

For several days now there have been suggestions that some of the girls may be released, but there was no sense of urgency from Abubakar.

Sources say the government and Boko Haram are still trying to hash out a back door deal, but for the parents of the girls, this will be of little comfort, as their children have been missing for five weeks.

Israel Sends Experts to Join Search
But the rescue effort for the girls got a boost when Israel sent two anti-terror experts to Nigeria to join the search, an Israeli security source said yesterday.
“There are in Nigeria two advisers who have dealt in terrorist matters in the past,” he told AFP. "They were sent there by the state to help.”

The pair are not currently serving as intelligence personnel for the Israeli government.

“They are not soldiers, not officers. They are not part of the security system,” the source added.

On May 11, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, called Jonathan with an offer to help search for the schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram.

In a related development, Nigeria has formally asked the United Nations Security Council al Qaeda Sanctions Committee to blacklist the Islamist militant group Boko Haram as a result of the kidnapping, UN diplomats said yesterday.

If there is no objection by the 15-member council committee, which operates by consensus, Boko Haram will be sanctioned at 3 pm New York Time tomorrow (Thursday), the council diplomats said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

“Difficult to object to such a request by the concerned country," said one of the council diplomats to Reuters.

The document submitted by Nigeria to support its blacklisting request references a bomb attack on the United Nations’ Nigeria headquarters on August 26, 2011 that killed 24 people, diplomats said.

It also describes a "campaign of violence against Nigerian schools and students" by the group and references other attacks on schools last year, according to diplomats.

Earlier this month, the UN Security Council threatened to take action against the insurgents and the US Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, urged the body to work quickly to designate Boko Haram as a terrorist group.