One of the 219 schoolgirls kidnapped from their school dormitory in
Chibok, Borno State, in April 2014, has been rescued from Sambisa
Forest.
This came as troops of 7 Division of Nigerian military
special clearance and rescue operations, otherwise known as Operation
Crackdown, Tuesday, cleared Boko Haram terrorists out of their Njimia
camp within Sambisa forest.
The girl, Amina Alli, was reportedly found near the edge of the large forest, close to Cameroon’s borders.
The
girl is said to have escaped while on a mission to gather firewood to
prepare meal for one of the leaders of the Boko Haram leaders keeping
her.
A statement by Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, Acting Director,
Army Public Relations, confirmed that one of the abducted Chibok
schoolgirls was among those rescued by troops at Baale, near Damboa.
He
said: “In continuation of Operation Crackdown, troops of 25 Brigade
Damboa in conjunction with Civilian JTF deployed in one of the blocking
positions at Baale, near Damboa rescued one Miss Amina Ali and a
suspected Boko Haram terrorist, Mohammed Hayatu, who claimed to be her
husband.
“Both were brought to headquarters, 25 Task Force Brigade, Damboa at about 2.30pm today (yesterday).
“Preliminary
investigation shows that she is indeed one of the schoolgirls abducted
by Boko Haram terrorists on April 14, 2014 at Chibok and her name is
Amina Ali as against Falmata Mbalala that was earlier stated.
“In addition, she is a nursing mother with a four-month-old baby
girl, who was named Safiya. Both the suspected Boko Haram terrorist and
the nursing mother have been taken to Maiduguri for further medical
attention and screening.”
After she was taken to Chibok, where she
was identified by her parents, Amina told the community leaders that:
“All the girls are in Sambisa forest, but six of them had died.”
A
source quoted Amina as saying that the remaining girls were “well
secured and protected” to stop the Nigerian Army from rescuing them.
The
group said: ”It was great news that the first Chibok school girl had
been found. This raises hope that the remaining 218 girls and others
still held captive would be rescued and reunited with their families.”
ActionAid
Nigeria’s Country Director, Ojobo Ode Atuluku said: “We celebrate with
the family of the found Chibok girl, and commend the effort of the
Nigerian Army and the Civilian Joint Task Force for their efforts at
ending insurgency in the North-East of Nigeria. The Nigerian government
must intensify efforts and give them all required support to seek out
the remaining girls.
“It is important for the government to
strongly advocate against the stigma and discrimination women and girls
face when they return. We also expect the Victims Support Fund of the
Federal Government to be accountable and give report of how, girls and
their babies are being cared for,” she said.
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