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Buhari Approves N164.7m For Freed Chibok Girls

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the payment of N164,763,759 for the tuition fees of 106 Chibok girls that have regained freedom from the Boko Haram … Continue reading Buhari Approves N164.7m For Freed Chibok Girls


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A file photo of President Muhammadu Buhari.
File photo: Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the payment of N164,763,759 for the tuition fees of 106 Chibok girls that have regained freedom from the Boko Haram terrorists.

This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu.

According to the statement, the money is meant for the second semester school fees of the Chibok girls at the American University of Nigeria (AUN) in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.

The President, who was reviewing the progress report submitted to him in line with his commitment to personally monitor the rehabilitation and reintegration into society of the freed Chibok girls, said the Federal Government would provide full support for their education.

He also renewed his commitment to bringing back the remaining girls held by the terrorists through all possible means, just as he commended the progress made in the rehabilitation the 106 freed girls who are already back in school.

“According to the progress report received by the President, the decision to pursue avenues in addition to military action to free the abducted girls is in the resolve to protect the lives of all Nigerians, to end the insurgency in the North East of the country, and to fulfil one of the campaign promises of the President.

“In line with this, the Federal Government entered into negotiations with the Boko Haram terrorist group for the release of the Chibok girls who were kidnapped from their school dormitory on the night of April 14, 2014. So far, two batches of 21 and 82 girls have been freed as a result of those negotiations.

“Three additional girls were rescued by the gallant efforts of our armed forces, bringing the total number of freed Chibok girls so far to 106,” the statement said.

The report revealed that the girls were taken to secure medical centres for attention as a result of their experiences while in captivity as they were severely traumatised and afflicted by various ailments and injuries.

They also went through debriefing and de-radicalisation by security operatives, after which they were handed over to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.

The ministry was assigned the main role in supervising the rehabilitation and reintegration of the girls back into society.

Long before the girls were released, the Federal Government had established the ‘Chibok Girls Desk’ in the ministry, responsible for acting on matters relating to the abducted Chibok schoolgirls and serving as a channel of communication between relevant agencies and the parents and relatives of the abducted girls.

The government, through the Ministry Of Women Affairs, and in collaboration with the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) and other donor agencies, embarked on programmes earmarked to facilitate the rehabilitation and reintegration of the girls with a time frame of nine months

The Presidency said a hostel in the National Centre for Women Development was converted into a suitable shelter, where the girls were kept for the nine-month period.

The programme, which began in January 2017, ended in September 2017, during which the 106 girls were given lessons in English, Mathematics, Biology, Agriculture, and Civic Education, while they were trained in ICT and vocational skills in addition.

According to the statement, professionals were also engaged to provide them with psychosocial therapy and one-on-one counseling to help them overcome post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

They were provided with religious instruction and comprehensive care by two in-house doctors and two nurses while periodic visits from the girls’ parents to stimulate family support and reunion were sponsored and organised by the ministry.

“The absorption of the 106 girls into the school marked the beginning of their integration into the larger Nigerian society, thus fulfilling President Buhari’s promise of providing the best education for them.

“Although they have been officially handed over to their parents, the Federal Government will continue to be responsible for the payment of the Chibok girls’ school fees right up to their graduation from the school,” the statement read.