Pakistan Promises To Help Rescue Abducted Chibok Girls

Lt. Gen. Ashraf Saleem, Pakistan High Commissioner, has promised that his country will help Nigeria government rescue the abducted Chibok girls, Leadership reports.

Abducted Chibok schoolgirls appear in one of the Boko Haram-released video

The Pakistani envoy, who spoke during a solidarity visit by the #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) following the attack by militants from the Pakistani Taliban on an army-run school in Peshawar, where 141 people were killed out of which 132 were children, also expressed his country’s willingness in helping to end terrorism in Nigeria.

Saleem reiterated that his country had the experience to help Nigeria tackle the problem of insecurity.
“It is very unfortunate that the Chibok girls have not been released. We sympathise with the parents of the girls and Nigerians. We assure you that Pakistan government is here to help you, though we are bedevilled with our own issues too. On 16th of this month, militants from the Pakistani Taliban attacked an army-run school in Peshawar, where 141 people were killed and 132 of them children,” he said.

He said in a reaction to the aforementioned attack, Pakistani government immediately launched an offensive that led to the death of those who carried out the dastardly act, which comprised no fewer than 200 Talibans.
“We are prepared to help Nigeria in every way possible. We are prepared to cooperate with Nigerians to eliminate these terrorists. And we will continue to pray for the safe return of the Chibok girls. We are going to help the Nigerian people to make sure that we recover these girls,” Saleem said.

Pakistan High Commissioner further disclosed that the unfortunate event in his country has brought about unity as every citizen in the country supports its government and military in the fight against terrorists.

He also called on all Nigerians to take advantage of the challenges of insecurity in the nation to unite and fight the common enemy.

Saleem, however, thanked the BBOG for its effort to keep the abducted girls on the front burner while awaiting their return to their families.

One of the leaders of the group, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, who spoke on behalf of the other members, said the reason for the group’s visit to the Commission is to join the global community in condemning the terrorist attacks.

She condoled with the government and people of Pakistan, especially the families of the slained schoolchildren as well as their teachers.

“Terrorist groups in Nigeria, Pakistan and other places are increasingly targeting children and schools, the most vulnerable in our communities. In Nigeria, we cannot forget in a hurry the murder of 59 school children in Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, in 2013, 23 students of Government Comprehensive Senior Science Secondary School, Potiskum, Yobe State in November 2014, as well as the abduction in April 2014 of 276 Chibok girls, with 219 of them still missing,” she said.

Ezekwesili urged the leaders of all countries; the United Nations and regional bodies to collaborate and inaugurate policies that would help protect children in and out of school in conflict prone zones.

She called on the global community to join hands and confront these terrorists as the common enemy of all humanity, with the aim of crippling their activities everywhere they exist.

“The world cannot watch on helplessly while children across nations are forced to choose between getting educated or being killed. It is time for all to work together and demonstrate to children that we will protect them and preserve their right to knowledge,” she said.


It would be recalled that the relentless terrorist group, Boko Haram, on April 14, 2014, stormed Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State and abducted over 276 female students, with 219 of them still missing.