April 14, 2014, will forever remain a memorable day in the minds of Chibok (Borno) indigenes. It was the day more than 200 of their girls were abducted by the sinister Boko Haram terrorists.
The only crime the young girls committed was exercising basic human rights. The right to education by sitting for the annual West African Examination Council (WAEC) before they vanished into thin air, only to appear on our screens on Monday, May 12, 2014, through a video clip made public by the dreaded terrorist sect, Boko Haram. The video clip showed our girls too frightened to think, reciting lines they were forced to.
ENCOMIUM Weekly brings you the between-the-lines details of the Chibok kidnapping saga…
53 ESCAPED, 276 STILL MISSING
53 of the 329 girls that were abducted from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok were able to escape the grip of their unforgiving abductors, according to the police.
The Borno State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajia Inna Gaaldima, confirmed this, saying that the 53 escapees are in the custody of the state government.
However, 276 of the girls still remain at large.
WAEC INDICTS BORNO STATE GOVERNMENT
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has indicted the government of Borno State for the kidnapping of over 200 school girls in Chibok.
The missing girls, who were sitting for the 2013/2014 WAEC – conducted Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE), were kidnapped by Boko Haram on April 14, 2014, at the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.
Addressing a gathering of women which included the First Lady, Dame (Dr.) Patience Jonathan, wives of state governors, among others, on Friday, May 2, 2014, the head of WAEC National Officer, Mr. Charles Eguridu, revealed how the state governor pressurized WAEC to conduct examination against its will at the Government Secondary School, Chibok.
He said the council was initially reluctant to conduct examination in the area because of the security challenges, but had to succumb when Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, assured the council in writing that adequate security would be provided.
In addition, the WAEC chief presented the bio data, containing passport photographs, of the 530 students who registered for the exams at the Chibok centre to the first lady.
CAN RELEASES LIST OF ABDUCTED GIRLS
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), on Sunday, May 4, 2014, made public a list of the abducted girls. The list obtained from Evangelist Matthew Owojaiye, the immediate past chairman of the Northern States Christian and Elders Forum (NOSCEF), an affiliate of CAN, combined 180 named – 165 Christians and 15 muslims. Here is the list:
CHRISTIAN GIRLS
1 Deborah Abge
2. Awa Abge
3. Hauwa Yirma
4. Asabe Manu
5. Mwa Malam Pogu
6. Patiant Dzakwa
7. Saraya Mal. Stover
8. Mary Dauda
9. Gloria Mainta
10.Hanatu Ishaku
11. Gloria Dama
12. Tabitha Pogu
13. Maifa Dama
14. Ruth Kollo
15. Esther Usman
16 Awa James
17 Anthonia Yahonna
18 Kume Mutah
19 Aisha Ezekiel
20 Nguba Buba
21 Kwanta Simon
22 Kummai Aboku
23 Esther Markus
24 Hana Stephen
25. Rifkatu Amos
26 Rebecca Mallum
27.Blessing Abana
28. Ladi Wadai
29. Tabitha Hyelampa
30. Ruth Ngladar
31. Safiya Abdu
32. Na’omi Yahonna
33. Solomi Titus
34.Rhoda John
35 Rebecca Kabu
36. Christy Yahi
37. Rebecca Luka
38. Laraba John
39 Saratu Markus
40. Mary Usman
41 Debora Yahonna
42.Naomi Zakaria
43 Hanatu Musa
44. Hauwa Tella
45.Juliana Yakubu
46. Suzana Yakubu
47.Saraya Paul
48. Jummai Paul
49. Mary Sule
50. Jummai John
51.Yanke Shittima
52. Muli Waligam
53. Fatima Tabji
54. Eli Joseph
55.Saratu Emmanuel
56. Deborah Peter
57.Rahila Bitrus
58. Luggwa Sand
59. Kauna Lalai
60. Lydia Emma
61.Laraba Maman
62.Hauwa Isuwa
63. Confort Habila
64. Hauwa Abdu
65. Hauwa Balti
66.Yana Joshua
67.Laraba Paul
68.Saraya Amos
69. Glory Yaga
70. Na’omi Bitrus
71. Godiya Bitrus
72. Awa Bitrus
73. Na’omi Luka
74. Maryamu Lawan
75. Tabitha Silas
76. Mary Yahona
77. Ladi Joel
78. Rejoice Sanki
79. Luggwa Samuel
80.Comfort Amos
81. Saraya Samuel
82. Sicker Abdul
83.Talata Daniel
84. Rejoice Musa
85. Deborah Abari
86. Salomi Pogu
87.Mary Amor
88. Ruth Joshua
89 Esther John
90. Esther Ayuba
91. Maryamu Yakubu
92. Zara Ishaku
93. Maryamu Wavi
94. Lydia Habila
95. Laraba Yahonna
96. Na’omi Bitrus
97. Rahila Yahanna
98. Ruth Lawan
99. Ladi Paul
100. Mary Paul
101. Esther Joshua
102. Helen Musa
103. Margret Watsai
104. Deborah Jafaru
105. Filo Dauda
106. Febi Haruna
107. Ruth Ishak
108. Racheal Nkeki
109. Rifkatu Soloman
110. Mairama Yahaya
111. Saratu Dauda
112. Jinkai Yama
113. Margret Shettima
114. Yana Yidau
115. Grace Paul
116. Amina Ali
117. Palmata Musa
118. Awagana Musa
119. Pindar Nuhu
120. Yana Pogu
121. Saraya Musa
122. Hauwa Joseph
123. Hauwa Kwakwi
124. Hauwa Musa
125. Maryamu Musa
126. Maimuna Usman
127. Rebeca Joseph
128. Liyatu Habitu
129. Rifkatu Yakubu
130. Naomi Philimon
131. Deborah Abbas
132. Ladi Ibrahim
133. Asabe Ali
134. Maryamu Bulama
135. Ruth Amos
136. Mary Ali
137. Abigail Bukar
138 Deborah Amos
139. Saraya Yanga
140. Kauna Luka
141. Christiana Bitrus
142. Yana Bukar
143. Hauwa Peter
144. Lguwa Mutali
145. Hadiza Yakubu
146. Lydia Simon
147. Ruth Bitrus
148. Mary Yakubu
149. Lugwa Mutah
150 Muwa Daniel
151 Hanatu Nuhu
152. Monica Enoch
153. Margret Yama
154. Docas Yakubu
155. Rhoda peter
156. Rifkatu Galang
157. Saratu Ayuba
158. Naomi Adamu
159. Hauwa Ishaya
160. Rahap Ibrahim
162. Deborah Soloman
163. Hauwa Mutah
164. Hauwa Takai
165. Serah Samuel
MUSLIM GIRLS
166. Aishatu Musa
167. Aishatu Grema
168. Hauwa Nkeki
169. Hamsatu Abubakar
170. Mairama Abubakar
171 Hauwa Wule
172. Ihyi Abdu
173. Hasana Adamu
174. Rakiya Kwamtah
175 Halima Gamba
176. Aisha Lawan
177. Kabu Malla
178. Yayi Abana
179. Falta Lawan
180. Kwadugu Manu
– MICHAEL NWOKIKE