BETWEEN CHIBOK AND KURIGA ABDUCTIONS

Whereas the Chibok Girls abduction in 2014 was the first of its kind in Nigeria, that of Kuriga most recently was not. Unfortunately, Nigeria experienced several abductions under the immediate past regime of Muhammadu Buhari.

Whereas the Chibok Girls abduction was highly politicized by the then opposition particularly the All Progressives Congress party, that of Kuriga drew concerted effort for the rescue of the pupils. The Kuriga abduction was condemned by all Nigerians.

Whereas intelligence report was reportedly given about the Chibok Girls abduction and both the Borno State government and the management of the Chibok secondary School were allegedly advised against going ahead with then ongoing examination, no such intelligence report was reportedly given in the case of the Kuriga abduction.

Whereas, the then governor of Borno State and currently the vice president Nigeria, Kashim Shettima was allegedly aloof about the abduction of the Chibok Girls, such was not the case with the Kuriga abduction because the governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, collaborated with the federal government in the concerted effort to rescue or release the pupils. For the Chibok abduction, reports said that it took about 17 days after the abduction for the then federal government to call the governor of Borno State to confirm the report of the abduction instead of the governor visiting the Presidential Villa immediately after the abduction to brief the Commander-in-Chief as tradition and protocol demanded. 

Whereas the Kuriga pupils abduction happened in Kaduna State which does not share any boundary with another country making the rescue or release of the pupils seemingly easier, Chibok Girls abduction happened in Borno State sharing boundaries with several countries.

Whereas a ransom payment of #40tr which was later reduced to one billion naira was demanded by the terrorists who abducted the Kuriga pupils, no such ransom payment was demanded by the terrorists that abducted the Chibok Girls. Perhaps, if the Chibok Girls abductors had demanded for ransom payment, some of the girls may not still be in captivity 10 years after.

The Chibok Girls abduction is noticeably distinct from all the other abductions after it because it was apparently orchestrated for political gains. Where are those so-called civil society organisations and pressure groups that made the Chibok Girls abduction a world affair? Where are people like Obiageli Ezekwesili and her BBOG Confederates, Wole Soyinka, Tunde Bakare, Joe Oke- Odumakin, etcetera? Why have they stopped protesting even when Nigeria has become worse since 2015? Where is even Mitchell Obama of the United States of America? Didn’t she hear about subsequent abductions after the Chibok Girls abduction?

Ifeanyi Maduako, Owerri