However, before you today Mr. President are two additional young Primary School pupils namely; Hafsat HARUNA, eleven years old and Primary Six pupil and Mala Maina BUKAR, thirteen (3) years old also, a Primary Six pupil.
The remaining six (6) Dapchi girls are yet to be accounted for, and dialogue on these students is still on-going.
NEGOTIATION PROCESS
2. It may be recalled that the President had given a clear directive to security agencies to use peaceful options to ensure the timely and safe release of the girls. What followed were intense behind the scene dialogue spearheaded by the Department of State Services.
The insurgents’ only condition was their demands for cessation of hostilities and temporary ceasefire to enable them return the girls at the point they picked them.
They required assurances that the government security forces would keep to this.
3. The exercise was arduous and quite challenging. The sensitivity of the operation and some uncertainties surrounding it particularly routes to be used, nature of transportation, realization and concern that the girls were not kept at one place, issues of encountering Military checkpoints within the theater and indeed keeping the operation on strictly the “Principles of Need-to-Know” made the whole exercise more complicating
4. Beyond the release of the abducted girls, our primary interest for engaging in the dialogue was informed by the following:
5. These presently seem problematic because the insurgents are factionalized while holding various spheres of influence in their guerrilla controlled enclaves. The negative impact of social media on otherwise classified operations and of course, some of the utterances of the government functionaries who were not competent to comment on the issues, posed challenges that almost marred the rescue efforts.
6. However, despite these challenges, the Service has managed to successfully conclude the operation leading to the release of the abducted Dapchi School girls that are now before you, Mr. President.
STATE OF THE GIRLS AND MEDICAL CARE
FAMILY ACCESS
8. The girls, including four (4) representatives of their School (the Principal and Vice) as well as, their parents were brought into the medical facility as part of measures to relieve tension and anxiety. The presence of these representatives have further re-assured and stabilized the girls.
WAY FORWARD
9. Mr. President, in view of the Nation’s experience through these years of insurgency, it is humbly suggested that efforts be sustained towards
CONCLUSION.
