Identity Of Girls From Sambisa Allegedly Revealed
More details emerge about the girls and women rescued on April 28, Tuesday, by the Nigerian military during the operation in Sambisa forest.
The Nigerian army yesterday stated that the victims were not the Chibok girls who were abducted en masse last year from the Borno town.
Sahara Reporters reports with reference to its military source that the freed females were from Gumsuri village (located 20 km from Chibok) and had been kidnapped in December.
The source said:
"The women and ladies are from Gumsuri village of Damboa local government area last year."
It has been learned by The Punch that the rescued victims were being treated at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, where they were undergoing medical tests, including pregnancy and HIV tests.
An intelligence officer, who asked for anonymity, said that seven of the victims had injuries caused by gunshots.
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Another source said that the identity of the females was yet to be ascertained, explaining:
"This is a sensitive matter that has to be handled with serious caution. You cannot say before the commencement of the investigation that they are the Chibok girls or not.
"Another thing is that you cannot start asking them if they are from Chibok because of the harrowing experiences or trauma they have gone through.
"Clearly, it would be too early for anybody to say that Chibok girls are among them or not; they are under custody; they went through trauma and we want to them to have some relief. Those with medical requirements are being treated.
"But the military is very careful. There is the need to ascertain their true identities.
"There would be individual interrogation of each of those rescued, to ascertain their link with the sect."
While some say that details about the girls' and women's hometowns are unclear, the Borno state government yesterday claimed that most of the ladies were from Bumsiri village, Damboa LGA.
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Mohammed Bulama, the Borno commissioner for information, said:
"The girls and women rescued are our daughters just like the Chibok girls. We have to commend the military for liberating them, hoping that the rest will equally be liberated.
"Though everyone had thought they were the Chibok girls, but we should not lose sight that they are as important as the Chibok girls.
"At the moment, we are looking forward to the time the 293 women/girls would be handed over to us so that we can begin the process of rehabilitating and reintegrating them into the society."
Chibok parents react to the army claims that their daughters are not among the rescued victims
Enoch Mark, whose daughter and niece are among the missing Chibok girls, was quoted as saying by Vanguard:
"It is disheartening for our hopes to be dashed.
"When we heard of the rescue we thought it was our girls. Parents kept contacting one another, hoping to get confirmation that their daughters were the ones rescued.
"However, it is not surprising to me that our hopes have been dashed. This has happened several times. The government has lied a few times. To us, the government no longer has credibility."
READ ALSO: Thank God For The Saved Lives! – Nigerians React To The Rescue Of 293 Females
Pogo Bitrus lamented over the poor effort by the military as he cried out:
"We have never lost hope as a people, but the issue is if the military has the capacity now, why didn’t they do it before?
"We are an unfortunate bunch caught up in a political game. It is unfortunate that we find ourselves in this situation. They have played with people’s lives and messed people up."
Source: Legit.ng
