President Buhari carrying baby Safiyat...yesterday. With him are Governor Shettima, Amina and her mother.
Another chibok schoolgirl has been rescued, the army announced last night.
Army spokesman Col. Usman Sani Kukasheka broke the news. He said her name is Sarah Luka, who is believed to be the daughter of Pastor Luka, one of the parents of the missing girls.
Col. Kukasheka said last night that the girl is number 157 on the list of the 219 Chibok girls in captivity.
She was a Junior Secondary School 1 pupil at the time of her abduction.
A statement signed by Col. Kukasheka said: “At about 11.00am yesterday, Thursday, 19th May 2016, troops of 231 Battalion, 331 Artillery Regiment (AR), Detachment of Armed Forces Special Forces (AFSF) 2, Explosive Ordinance (EOD) Team and Civilian Vigilante group of Buratai, conducted clearance operations at Shettima Aboh, Hong and Biladdili general area in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State.
“During the operations, the troops killed 35 Boko Haram terrorists and recovered several arms and ammunitions and other items. In addition, they rescued 97 women and children held captives by the Boko Haram terrorists.
“We are glad to state that among those rescued is a girl believed to be one of the Chibok Government Secondary School girls that were abducted on 14th April 2014 by the Boko Haram terrorists.
“Her name is Miss Serah Luka, who is number 157 on the list of the abducted school girls. She is believed to be the daughter of Pastor Luka.
“During debriefing the girl revealed that she was a JSS1 student of the school at the time they were abducted.
“She further added that she hails from Madagali, Adamawa State. She averred that she reported at the school barely two months and one week before her unfortunate abduction along with other girls over two years ago.
“She added that there other three girls who fled from Shettima Aboh when the troops invaded the area earlier today which led to their rescue.
“She is presently receiving medical attention at the medical facility of Abogo Largema Cantonment, Biu, Borno State.”
The rescue of another of the 219 girls abducted by Boko Haram insurgents on April 14, 2014 in Chibok, Borno State came amid the excitement of the return of Amina Ali, who yesterday visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the Villa in Abuja.
There are now 217 girls in Boko Haram’s captivity.
President Buhari promised that everything will be done to ensure that Amina goes back to school.
Besides, his administration will ensure that she gets the best medical, emotional and other care towards her full recovery and re-integration into the society.
The President spoke at the Presidential Villa when he received Amina in his office.
Amina, her baby, her mother and her brother, were led to the Villa by Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima at about 2.46 p.m..
The governor, the girl and her baby were taken to the President’s office by Chief of Staff Abba Kyari.
Amina and her baby were dressed in hijab and were shielded from reporters by security officials.
The Army on Wednesday confirmed Amina’s rescue. She is the first of the 219 schoolgirls to reunite with her family.
She was with the man who put her in the family way, Hayatu Mohammaed, a Boko Haram chieftain.
They were rescued by troops and Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) members at Baale community near Damboa in Borno State. Amina was identified as one of the missing schoolgirls by a vigilante.
After being medically examined at the military’s medical facility in Damboa, Amina and her baby were flown in an Air Force helicopter to the Borno Governor’s Lodge in Maiduguri on Wednesday.
Yesterday’s occasion was also an opportunity for Defence Minister Mansur Dan Ali to review the military’s performance so far in the campaign against Boko Haram. He said 69 soldiers had been killed in action.
Buhari said: “Like others all over the world, I’m delighted that Amina Ali, one of the missing Chibok girls, has regained her freedom. But my feelings are tinged with deep sadness on the horrors the girl has had to go through at such an early stage in her life.
“Although we cannot do anything to reverse the horrors of her past, the Federal Government can and will do everything possible to ensure that the rest of her life takes a completely different course.
“Amina will get the best care that the Nigerian government can afford. We will ensure that she gets the best medical, emotional and whatever care that she requires to get full recovery and be integrated into the society.
“Yesterday, medical personnel from government and NGOs examined her for about five hours. Trauma experts from UNICEF also met her. The Federal Government will assist the Murtala Mohammed Foundation, which has already been providing support for the families of the missing Chibok girls and which runs a truama and counselling facility in Kano. It will also be involved in the ongoing work with Amina in monitoring her progress and any additional support she requires.
“The continuation of Amina’s education so abruptly disrupted will definitely be a propriety of the Federal Government. Amina must be able to go back to school. Nobody in Nigeria should be put through the brutality of forced marriage. Every girl has a right to education and their choice of life,” he added.
He promised that his administration will continue to do whatever it can to rescue the Chibok girls who are still in Boko Haram’s captivity.
“Amina’s rescue gives us new hope and offers a unique opportunity to vital information,” he said.
Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima noted that Buhari’s patience, persistence, perseverance and doggedness for the restoration of peace in the northeast had started to yield dividends.
He said: “We have to put things in proper perspective; one year ago, nobody could venture out of Maiduguri beyond 15 kilometers. Maiduguri was on the verge of falling into the hands of demented monsters called Boko Haram. We were under seige, until God in His infinite mercies intervened with your emergence as president.
The abduction of the Chibok girls was the point the world woke up from her slumber, when the conscience of the world got pricked.
“We have to thank you for your efforts in the Northeast.
“With mixed feelings, with happiness mixed with sadness because 218 girls are not accounted for, but a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step, the recovery of Amina Ali, is a sign of greater things to come as our gallant troops engage in the counter insurgency operations, especially in the Sambisa and the shores of the Lake Chad,” he said.
“Also the Defence Minister, Mansur Dan Ali, noted that what is being celebrated with the rescue of Amina is Buhari’s political commitment and support, which gave a major boost to the success of the fight against terrorism.”
He said that the change of military leadership at the inception of Buhari’s administration injected new ideas and vigour into the military operation.
He added: “Consequently sir, the Armed Forces of Nigeria achieved tremendous success by ensuring the safety of lives and properties and protection of territorial integrity of our country.
“This Operation Crackdown is an offensive operation within Operation Lafia Dole, which started on the 28th of April. It was aimed at clearing Sambisa forest, the haven of Boko Haram terrorists. In that operation, we have been able to clear a lot of villages; 20 villages have been cleared in the last 22 days of this operation.
“We have also rescued over 150 in this operation since it started, among which we separated our Chibok girl, Amina Ali. The officers and men of the Armed Forces have actually been involved in this operation.
“In these 22 days, we have lost about seven soldiers, three due to enemy action and IEDs, one accidental during clearing of IEDs, and three as a result of road traffic accidents.
“We have also had some troops injured and they are responding to treatment. We have counted close to about 69 killed in action and we have also captured equipment and also bombed some of their own platform,” he stated.
Amina’s mother said the rescued girl and her brother were the only surviving children out of 14 that she had.
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