… Sera not on Chibok abduction list – Community leader, activists
…. We stand by our earlier statement – Army
There was confusion on Friday regarding the identity of the second rescued girl which the Army authorities claim was one of the 276 girls seized by terrorists on April 14, 2014 at Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno state.
The Nigerian Army had claimed that the girl was Sarah Luka who was number 157 on the Chibok abduction list.
“At about 11.00am today, Thursday, 19th May 2016, troops of 231 Battalion, 331 Artillery Regiment (AR), Detachment of Armed Forces Special Forces (AFSF) 2, Explosive Ordinance (EOD) Team and Civilian Vigilante group of Buratai, conducted clearance operations at Shettima Aboh, Hong and Biladdili general area in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State.
During the operations, the troops killed 35 Boko Haram terrorists and recovered several arms and ammunitions and other items. In addition, they rescued 97 women and children held captives by the Boko Haram terrorists.
“We are glad to state that among those rescued is a girl believed to be one of the Chibok Government Secondary School girls that were abducted on 14th April 2014 by the Boko Haram terrorists. Her name is Miss Serah Luka, who is number 157 on the list of the abducted school girls. She is believed to be the daughter of Pastor Luka,” the Army statement read in part.
A community leader, Pogu Bitrus was however quoted by AP on Friday that she was not on the Chibok abduction list.
He added that the number 157 the Army was claiming had a different name.
” The list has two other young women sharing the surname given by the military and the rescued girl may have been visiting older sisters at the school the night of the kidnapping,” Bitrus said.
Yakubu Nkeki, the head of the Chibok Abducted Girls Parents group also told the AFP that the military contacted him before an announcement was made on Wednesday about the discovery of the first girl, Amina Ali.
“We were able to identify her and then establish her parents. But there was no call before Nigeria’s army announced late Thursday that a second schoolgirl had been rescued,” he told AFP.
Sarah had reportedly told troops and civilian vigilantes she was a Christian pastor’s daughter originally from Madagali, in neighbouring Adamawa state, and had been in Chibok to sit her exams.
Nkeki said his records showed only two girls with the surname Luka.
“These are Kauna Luka Yana and Naomi Luka Dzakwa. Among the list of parents we have only four priests and none of them is Luka,” he added.
“Among the girls none of them is from Madagali. They were either from Chibok, Damboa, Askira and Uba (all in Borno state). So I can say… that this girl is not among the abducted Chibok girls.
“We were never contacted by the military for verification of the girl’s identity before the announcement was made,” he noted.
A human rights activist in Mubi, Adamawa, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitive nature of his work, also said a Serah Luka was not on the list of the missing.
BringBackOurGirls convener, Obiageli Ezekwesili had also said on her twitter handle that Sera was not on the Chibok list available to the group.
A statement by the group’s spokesperson, Sesugh Akume further clarified that Sera was actually a student of GSS, Chibok who was actually abducted by the insurgents in her home in Madagali, Adamawa state.
“We are excited with the news of yet another rescued Chibok girl.
According to Haruna Mutali a community leader in Chibok, their background checks have revealed that this second returnee, Miss Serah Luka was an SSS 1 learner at GSS Chibok, who was abducted by the insurgents in her home in Madagali.
Every citizen returned is victory for us all.
We appeal to the humanity in us to stay positively focused on emerging developments. We wish to advise caution in disseminating information too promptly, as we appeal that we respect the human dignity of our returnees and their loved ones, as we engage on this topic.
We commend the gallant Nigerian army, the Civilian JTF, and the other security forces. We are strongly with you, as through great sacrifice you annihilate the insurgents, return our compatriots, reclaim our territories, and restore peace and normality especially in northeast Nigeria,” the group’s statement read in full.
The Nigerian Army however disagreed with the group and stood by its earlier statement that the girl was among the Chibok students whose abduction caused global outrage in 2014.
Army spokesman, Col Sani Usman urged members of the public to disregard the claim by the community leader, saying those who were making contrary claims were merely playing politics.
He told Premium Times that the Army as an institution would not join issues with those who have clear “political agenda”.
He had the Army had done its home work diligently, adding that the only established government institutions had the powers to confirm the identity of a citizen.
“We cannot be dragging words with people who have clear political agenda. The facts speak for themselves that that girl came from Adamawa and, beyond all reasonable doubt, she is amongst those that were abducted on the 14th of April 2014 in Government Secondary School, Chibok.
“For anybody to wake up and say he’s the head of Chibok community and the girl was not amongst those kidnapped is wrong. If the principal of that school comes out and say ‘this is my nominal role and I don’t have such student’ then we can be debating the matter,” Mr. Usman said.
“She is not from Chibok but Adamawa and she may not have been on any of the unofficial lists that said they were 249 girls or 219 girls, but she was kidnapped and we have all the facts,” he said.
