Further hopes rise for Chibok girls after army rescue another 234 females from Sambisa

HOPES that the Government Girls Secondary School Chibok pupils abducted by Boko Haram over a year ago have risen after a further 234 women and children were rescued by the Nigerian Army from Sambisa Forest yesterday.

 

Abducted from the boarding school in Chibok in Borno State on April 14 last year in the middle of the night, the 219 pupils have been held incommunicado ever since. Over recent weeks, however, the Nigerian Army in conjunction with its counterparts from neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic has stepped up its offensive against the terrorists.

 

Last Tuesday, the Nigerian Army rescued after 200 girls and 93 women from Boko Haram in Sambisa Forest but it was later found out that they were not the Chibok girls. Yesterday, a further 234 women and children were rescued from the Sambisa Forest but their identities are yet to be ascertained.

 

Director of defence information Major General Chris Olukolade, said that the women and children were rescued by troops in the Kawuri and Konduga axis of the Sambisa Forest. He added that the latest batch of rescued women and children had been moved to join those rescued earlier for screening.

 

Over the last week, the Nigerian military has enjoyed great success in its fight against the terrorists, closing in on Boko Haram's strongholds. Apart from the fact that on Tuesday, the army rescued 293 ladies comprising 200 girls and 93 women, it freed another 160 women and children comprising 60 women and 100 children on Wednesday.

 

Major General Olukolade said: “Another set of 234 women and children were rescued through the Kawuri and Konduga end of Sambisa forest on Thursday. They have been evacuated to join others at the place of ongoing screening.

 

"This set is in addition to the previous individuals earlier rescued during the ongoing operation in the area. The assault on the forest is continuing from various fronts and efforts are concentrated on rescuing hostages of civilians and destroying all terrorists’ camps and facilities in the forest.”

 

Since the multinational offensive began, Boko Haram has lost control of the 14 local government areas it controlled at the turn of the year and with the losses, the area it controls has shrunk significantly. Now confined to its last stronghold in the Sambisa Forest in Borno State, Boko Haram has been under fire over the last fortnight after the Nigerian Army launched a ground offensive.