Why We Started Six Weeks’ Countdown To Recue Of Chibok Girls – BBOG

BBOGThe #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) advocacy group has stated that the six weeks countdown which it started, was a monitoring initiative to help it follow actively developments about the counterinsurgency/rescue operations as conveyed by the federal government

The group in a statement signed by one its co-convener, Dr (Mrs) Oby Ezekwesili in Abuja, stated that the countdown aligned with the timeframe the federal Government gave for collaborating with neighbouring multinational joint task forces to end the Boko Haram insurgency, reclaiming all the territories occupied by the insurgents and bringing back the abducted Chibok girls.

“The timeline formed the basis for the shift of the 2015 election schedule by INEC. As an advocacy that has painstakingly over the last ten months called for a massive offensive against the terrorists that abducted our 219 #ChibokGirls, we welcomed the new offensive even though we regretted that it took so long for our federal government to galvanise such effort.

“It was the failure to respond decisively and speedily particularly in 2014 that led to the counter insurgency war becoming entangled with the country’s electoral cycle and politics. That being said, we wish to reiterate that we welcome, endorse and fully support what can rightly be called the most tangible action so far launched against insurgents by our federal government.

“Our citizens group has been most hopeful of the victory achievable if diligent commitment were given to the counter insurgency strategy from the outset of the menace, but especially following the abduction of the secondary school girls of Chibok in April 2014”, it said.

The group also urged the military to present empirically-verifiable evidence of their progress against the sect.

“Our monitoring initiative is in effect a vigilance tool that places searchlight on the counterinsurgency/rescue operations as conveyed by the federal government.

“We want to know: are we making empirically-verified progress or not with the operation and collaboration of our neighbors? Are we reclaiming our territories from the enemies? Are we weakening/destroying the strength and base of the enemies? Are we closer to having our #ChibokGirls and other abducted citizens returned back or not? Are we closer to restoring order and security in Northeast Nigeria or not?” it said.

You may recall that the BBOG began a monitoring initiative known as #BBOGCountDownTo6Weeks on 14 February, 2015.