video released on Monday by Boko Haram
have been identified by their parents.
The video was shown to the parents, pupils
and teachers of the Government Secondary
School, Chibok, security men and some
officials of the Borno State Governmentat in
the Government House, Maiduguri on
Tuesday.
Isa Gusau, Special Adviser to Governor
Kashim Shettima on Communications,
however, explained in a statement that the
names were "currently being compared with
school records as well as the ones published
some days back to ensure accuracy."
"The exercise continues at the Government
House and it is hoped that more names will
be established by parents, students and
teachers as well as management of the
affected school," Gusau added.
The statement reads in part, "Governor
Shettima has confirmed that the young girls
shown in a video released by Boko Haram
are part of the schoolgirls abducted at the
Government Secondary School, Chibok
following a night attack on April 14, 2014.
"Fifty four of the girls in the video have
been identified by their names at an exercise
that involved some parents of the girls, fellow
students that include those that escaped the
abduction, some teachers, security men and
some officials of the state government led by
the Chief of Staff to the Government
House,Abubakar Kyari.
"The parents and students were conveyed to
the Government House in Maiduguri to make
for an open identification.
"Governor Shettima announced this in Abuja
today during a press briefing held after a
peaceful procession by a coalition of civil
society bodies and activists under the Bring
Back Our Girls initiative in Abuja.
"Shettima said the figures of those identified
by their names were climbing as the exercise
went on at the Government House in
Maiduguri. He was briefed every 30 minutes.
Initially, while he was addressing the BBOG
group, 36 names had been identified but
before his press briefing an hour later, the
number had climbed to 54 which he then told
journalists.
"He had on Monday directed the
identification to be conducted. The Chairman
of Chibok Local Government Area and other
government officials were made to mass
produce the video.
"But after the exercise in Chibok, Governor
Shettima directed for another round of
verification to be conducted at the
Government House in order to cross-check
findings so as not to mislead the public.
"The second exercise confirmed the
preliminary exercise in Chibok."
Before the statement, Reuter said one of the
parents had identified her daughter in
the video.
It quoted the Chairman of the Parent-Teacher
Association of the school, Dumoma Mpur, as
saying that the woman watched the video
on television on Monday evening and spotted
her daughter among the girls sitting on the
ground and wearing veils.
"The video got parents apprehensive again
after watching it but the various steps taken
by the governments and the coming of the
foreign troops are boosting our spirit, even
though I have not seen even one soldier in
Chibok yet," Mpur said.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi
Falana(SAN), also said that some of the
parents had identified their children in the
video.
Falana, who addressed members of the
National Conference Committee on Civil
Society, Labour, Youths and Sports in Abuja
on Tuesday, said, "Some parents that we
have spoken with said that they have watched
the video and have been able to identify their
children."
We're ready for talks with Boko Haram –FG
But as the video viewing continued in
Maiduguri, the Minister of Special Duties,
Tanimu Turaki, said the Federal Government
was ready to negotiate the release of the
girls with Boko Haram. Boko Haram leader
Abubakar Shekau had said on Monday that
the sect was ready to swap the abducted
girls for his members detained by security
forces across the country.
Turaki, who is also the chairman of the
committee set up by President Goodluck
Jonathan to find ways of reaching agreement
with Boko Haram, said that if Shekau was
sincere, he should send people he trusted to
meet his committee.
Presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, in
a statement issued after Jonathan's meeting
with the Congolese President, Denis Sassou
N'guesso, said the two leaders had demanded
the unconditional release of the girls.
They also sought the release of all others
held against their will by Boko Haram.
Jonathan was in Congo for consultations on
regional security ahead of Wednesday's
meeting of the African Union's Peace and
Security Council.
Abati said the President and N'guesso also
called on African leaders, the African Union
and its Peace and Security Council to intensify
efforts aimed at the eradication of Boko
Haram and other terrorist groups on the
continent.
The statement reads in part, "Expressing their
full appreciation of the international
community's support for Nigeria's efforts to
locate and rescue the abducted girls,
President Jonathan and his Congolese
counterpart urged the global community to
remain united and steadfast in its rejection of
all forms of terrorism."
Mark opposes negotiation
Senate President David Mark had in far
away Beijing, China ruled out the possibility
of the Federal Government negotiating with
the sect for the release of the female
pupils.
Mark told journalists that "the government
would never negotiate with terrorists of which
Shekau is one, under whatever circumstance."
He argued that negotiating with the
terrorists would "further give them room to
wreak more havoc on both the country and its
people."
Mark added, "Nigeria will not negotiate with
the terrorists under any circumstance because
you don't negotiate with criminals which Boko
Haram insurgents are.
"We are going to bring the girls back safe and
sound to their parents without any negotiation
with Boko Haram. Every effort towards that
which cannot be disclosed in the public is
being made to rescue the girls."
US drones, other aircraft join search
Meanwhile, the United States has begun
flying "manned" missions over Nigeria to
track the abducted schoolgirls.
"We have shared commercial satellite imagery
with the Nigerians and we are flying manned
ISR (intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance) assets over Nigeria with the
government's permission," a senior US official
told the Agence France Presse, asking not
to be named.
Also,US experts are carefully studying the
Boko Haram video in the hope it might yield
vital clues as to where the girls are being
held.
State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki,
said, ''Our intelligence experts are combing
through every detail of the video for clues
that might help ongoing efforts to secure the
release of the girls.
"We have no reason to question its
authenticity."
Psaki recalled that the US policy was also "to
deny kidnappers the benefits of their criminal
acts, including ransoms or concessions."
A 30-strong US team arrived on the ground
last week in Nigeria to help growing efforts to
find the girls aged between 16 and 18.
The White House said the team included five
State Department officials, two strategic
communications experts, a civilian security
expert and a regional medical support officer.
Also on the manifest are 10 Defence
Department planners, seven extra military
advisors from US Africa Command and four
FBI(Federal Bureau of Investigation) officials
and experts in hostage negotiations.
"We are talking about helping the Nigerian
government search an area that is roughly the
size of New England," White House spokesman
Jay Carney said.
"So this is no small task. But we are certainly
bringing resources to bear in our effort to
assist the(Nigerian) government."
US commander, Badeh meet
The Commander of the United States African
Command, Lt.- Gen. David Rodriguez, on
Tuesday met with the Chief of Defence Staff,
Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, over
Washington's assistance to Nigeria in the
fight against insurgency.
A Defence headquarters statement quoted
Badeh as saying that the military was 'already
re-strategising its operational doctrines to
match the emerging trend of asymmetrical
warfare currently confronting the nation.'
Army changes 21 Armoured Brigade
Commander, flays Shettima, Senators
The authorities of the Nigerian Army have
made some strategic changes at command
level in the North-East.
A military source said on Tuesday that the
Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Kenneth
Minimah, had authorised the removal of the
Commander of the 21 Armoured Brigade,
Maiduguri, Brig.-General Ogundele.
Investigations revealed that the former
Commandant of the 22 Armoured Brigade,
Ilorin, Brig.-Gen. A.B. Akomolafe, replaced
Ogundele.
The former Chief of Staff to the Commander
of the 21 Armoured Brigade, Col. Ekepere,
was moved to the newly created Infantry
Brigade, Gwoza.
It was learnt that Ogundele, who fought off
the insurgent's invasion of the headquarters
of the 21 Armoured Battalion in March, was
summoned to Abuja by Minimah.
Meanwhile, the Director, Army Public
Relations, Brig.-Gen. Olajide Laleye, has
announced the immediate promotion of 296
personnel of the Nigerian Army for a rare
display of gallantry during an attack in which
several insurgents were killed .
Also, the Director of Defence Information,
Maj.Gen Chris Olukolade, could not be
reached for comment as the calls to his
mobile telephone line did not connect.
Shettima, Borno senators gave wrong
information -DHQ
The military has said that Governor
Shettima, and senators from Borno
State gave misleading information to security
operatives on the abduction of the girls .
The Director of Defence Information, Maj.-
Gen Chris Olukolade, said Shettima gave
information about the movement of 60 trucks
which were found to be false.
Speaking on African Independent Television
Focus Nigeria Programme on Tuesday,
Olukolade said the military swung into
action using aircraft to comb the area and
destination given by the governor only to find
nothing.
He claimed that the information was
released with the intent to wear out the
military through waste of resources.
The Defence spokesman added that similar
information given by Senators from the
area led the military nowhere.
He said, "I think, what you were saying was
in retrospect. Like I said, we want to avoid
engaging him(governor) in public. There was a
piece of information he gave sometime which
was about the movement of 60 vehicles.
"Immediately that information came, aircraft
went on air instantly. The whole of the
environment he gave was searched, up till the
points he said was the destination of those
vehicles. They were searched thoroughly and
nothing was found.
"And this is one issue about information in
this operation, which seem to have been,
most of the time, unhelpful because it tends
to just want to wear us out and expend
resources. By the time aircraft go on air, you
can imagine the resources involved. We have
a series of that experience.
"One problem with the situation right now is
too many pieces of information that are of no
value at the end of the day. But it is a resolve
that no information would be despised,
whosever is giving it whether it is the
governor or the man on the street. Once the
information comes, a lot of action goes into
place instantly.
"The same with the senators. In fact, most of
the time the Senators speak, it gives us the
impression they were in close contact. And
many times perhaps, they also mislead."
Olukolade said that one of the senators also
claimed that 300 people were killed at
Gamboru Ngala, which was found to be
untrue.
LIST OF IDENTIFIED GIRLS
1. Agnes Gafane
2. Saraya Stober
3. Hauwa Bitrus
4. Hajara Isa
5. Na'omi Philimun
6. Hauwa Abdu (1st Speaking)
7. Magret Yama
8. Shitta Abdu
9. Jummai Muta
10. Ladi Paul
11. Roda Peter
12. Filo Dauda
13. Godiya Bitrus
14. Saratu Tauji (2nd Speaking)
15. Ross Daniel
16. Hauwa Ali
17. Hajara Isa (Amira 3rd Speaking)
18. Luba Afga
19. Na'omi Luka
20. Saraya Emos Ali
21. Bilkisu Abdullahi
22. Mairama Ali
23. Maryam Ali Maiyanga
24. Dabora Abbas
25. Kabu Mala
26. Halima Ali
27. Yana Bukar
28. Solomi Pugu
29. Lydia Emmar
30. Luba Sanda
31. Saraya Samuel
32. Comfort Habila
33. Rejoice Shanki
34. Gloria Yaga
35. Mary Nkeki
36. Moda Baba
37. Hauwa Isuwa
38. Patient Jacob
39. Ladi Jajel
40. Abigel Bukar
41. Fanta Lawan
42. Zainabu Yaga
43. Aisha Lawan Zanna
44. Dokas Yakubu
45. Kabu Mala
46. Maryama Bashir
47. Hauwa M. Maina
48. Mary G. Dauda
49. Susana Yakubu
50. Maryam Abbas
51. Laraba John
52. Hanatu Nuhu
53. Na' omi Bukar
54. Rifkatu Galang
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