The Senate on Tuesday urged all the parties in the negotiation that led to the release of 21 of the Chibok girls to ensure that other hostages in Boko Haram’s captivity were rescued. The upper chamber of the National Assembly, while thanking those who negotiated the release of the 21 schoolgirls, noted that a large number of abductions by the sect were not reported, adding that the negotiators should look beyond the Chibok girls to rescue more victims.
Leader of the Senate, Senator Ali Ndume, who raised the matter on the floor of the Senate during Tuesday’s plenary, said no fewer than 1,000 persons were in Boko Haram captivity.
He said, “The 219 girls are not the only girls that were abducted. Their (exact) number is not known but there are more than 1,000 of them, I can bet on that. Some of them have gone unnoticed; some of them are missing; some of them, only God knows where they are and in what condition they have found themselves.I want to thank you on behalf of Chibok people and to beg you to continue to stand by them because these girls and the people of Borno and the North-East, generally, need Nigerians more than ever before.”Senator Abiodun Olujimi (Ekiti-South), who supported Ndume’s motion, called on all stakeholders to work towards securing the release of all abductees.
The senator pointed out that the womenfolk were very proud of the armed forces, Red Cross, the Swiss government, while appreciating the efforts all those who were part of the negotiation.