The Lagos state Co-ordinator of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) campaign group, Habiba Balogun, has re-iterated the group’s aim, saying that they have one main purpose, which is to see the girls returned alive and well.
According to her, “that is at the top of the pyramid.
Meanwhile she says, “At the bottom of the pyramid however, we have discovered that there are many elements that had contributed to the girls being abducted and not being rescued even after 1000 days.
Balogun stated this while speaking on Channels Television’s breakfast show, Sunrise Daily, where she cleared the air on various reactions by many who feel the group had veered off its course.
On Thursday, it became four days since the group began the week-long protest, in which attention is being drawn to several issues such as poor governance, corruption, welfare of soldiers, among others.
The Lagos representative then stressed that poor governance is indeed one of the key issues that had led to the abduction and slow recovery of the missing girls.
“We have systems in this our country, that if somebody goes missing, and you report to the police, you can wait – a mechanism would be put in place and they can seek out persons responsible, prosecute and convict them- but that process is not in place,” she said.
Also speaking further on the issue of corruption, she alleged that some persons go as far as stealing or diverting donations sent to IDP camps.
“We know the people who are responsible for those acts of theft – what has happened to them, who has been sacked? Who is being prosecuted and convicted, she questioned.
“We know the reason the armed forces took so long before they started recording successes over the insurgents”.
Balogun believes that all the money sent to the troops for welfare as well as procurement of arms were diverted by certain corrupt individuals.
She also revealed that even on Wednesday, “four girls were kidnapped in Madagali, Adamwa state.
“What plans are being put in place to ensure that parents of these girls too, are not deprived of their children for another 1000 days, she questioned again.
She then stressed that although the group continues to push for the safety and release of the missing girls, as well as proper rehabilitation of those found, they still have to address other salient issues.
