Boko Haram: We didn"t find any soldiers in the forest while searching for our girls - Parents

By Ehi Ekhator

The families of the students of the Girls Secondary School Chibok in Borno State who were kidnapped by the dreaded members of the Boko Haram returned home yesterday after fruitless searches.

They claimed that no soldier helped in the search because they could not find any of them through out their search in the bush.

The parents revealed to the Hausa service of the BBC that they stayed in the bush for 12 hours searching for the girls and they did not see any of the soldiers but found abandoned huts, breads and vehicles possibly own by the security agents.

They said there was no trace of the girls, the parents added.

One of the parents said they began their search at about 6 am but could not find any of the kidnapped female students and came back home at about 6pm.

According to him   “We were about 200 in the forest but we had to return back. We couldn’t sleep there; we saw nothing but make shift huts that were erected in the bushes.

“We saw vehicles like that of security agents in the bush, there were so many things, and there was even bread.

“We however saw a different set of people who asked of our mission and we told them. It is a very thick forest and anyone would be scared to explore the forest.

“Contrary to claims by the authorities that soldiers were in the forest trying to rescue the school girls, we saw nobody; we didn’t see any vigilante agent too. We did not see any security agent, even in our dreams. These soldiers, we didn’t see any”.

The Borno State Government disclosed yesterday that it is looking for 84 students fo the Government Girls Secondary School, chibok.

He disclosed that one of the student who was not among those abducted returned to the school yesterday.

But the Commission for Education, mr. Musa Kubo revealed in an update against the backdrop of sustained search for the school girls by parents and volunteers yesterday.

Kubo said: “I am afraid we do not have an update that is as encouraging as Friday’s. Only one of our missing students returned today (Saturday).

“She was not among those abducted. She was however one of the 129 girls at the hostel on that black day the Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok was attacked.

“She ran out of the school during the attack and thereafter, went to her parents. She was brought back by her mother on Saturday.”

He added: “So far, we now have 45 students back in school. Out of this number, 28 escaped from abduction while 17 fled home during the attack and returned home.

“As at yesterday, we had 44 students. Today, we have 45 while 84 are yet to be found. Like I explained in yesterday’s release, all the accounted girls are being reconnected with their families as a tactical measure pending the return of their colleagues and subsequent decision by the State Governor on the way forward.

“Like I also said yesterday, we are hopefully expecting the return of our 84 students as intensive search and rescue efforts continue. I once again like always, acknowledge the combined efforts of the security agencies and civilian volunteers for their patriotism”.

A top security source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Most parents, local vigilante groups and sympathisers involved in the search have opted to remain in the forest to secure the release of the girls. This is the level of patriotism which parents and locals have demonstrated so far.”

Boko Haram: We didn"t find any soldiers in the forest while searching for our girls - Parents