World Awaits Release of The 200 Chibok Girls

The world anxiously awaits the possible release of over 200 Chibok girls today. The girls were abducted by Boko Haram sect on April 14 this year.

Two weeks ago, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh announced that the sect had agreed to a ceasefire following an agreement reached by both the government and Boko Haram and consequently directed all the field commanders to observe the ceasefire.

On its part, Boko Haram, represented by one Mallam Danladi Ahmadu, who addressed himself as the Director General of Boko Haram repeatedly gave the assurance that the latest deal to end the violence and release the girls was genuine and on course.

Ahmadu who spoke on the Hausa Service of the Voice of America insisted that the Chibok girls will be released today. According to him, the Chibok girls will be released to the Chadian President, Idris Derby, for onward presentation to the Nigerian Government. Ahmadu also assured that Boko Haram and the Nigerian Government were in close consultations over arrangement for today’s meeting in Chad and that after the meeting, all attacks would cease.

Meantime, gunmen suspected to be sect members invaded Miringa, a village in Biu local government area of Borno State, yesterday. They attacked traders as well as buyers in the market, killed five people and injured several others.

Miringa is about 10 kilometres north of Biu and more than 20 kilometres drive from Buratai village, home town of Brigadier General Tukur Buratai, a former Commander of Joint Task Force, Niger Delta.

A ward councillor in Biu town who did not want his name mentioned confirmed the incident, adding that the gunmen came in two Hilux vans with Islamic inscription and flags and began shooting at people during the market hours.