Saraki lauds release of 21 Chibok girls; Decries bomb blast in Maiduguri, Clashes in Kaduna, Kano, Katsina

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Thursday commended President Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian Security Services, the government of Switzerland, and the International Community for the combined efforts that led to the release of the 21 Chibok schoolgirls.

Senator Saraki said: “We join all Nigerians to rejoice on the return of our daughters. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families of those who have returned, and those girls who remain in the hands of the terrorists. It is our hope that the release of more of the girls is imminent and that our nation remains vigilant in the face of the continued crisis in North East Nigeria.”

“The release of the 21 girls is a testament to the perseverance of our men and women in uniform, the civilian joint task force and a clear indication that this government has been relentless in securing their release,” Saraki said, stressing that “moving forward, we need to ensure that the girls that have been returned back to us are re-united with their families, and rehabilitated to become full members of our society.

“We must also not take our foot off the gas. Nigerians must continue to be united and insistent on the safe return of the other girls that are still in the hands of Boko Haram,” he said.

The Senate President restated the commitment of the 8th Senate to continue supporting the federal government to secure the release of the Chibok girls, highlighting the fact that their abduction still marks a dark notch in the history of the country.

“On our part, the Nigerian Senate has been clear that we will continue to do everything within our powers to support efforts aimed at securing the release of the rest of the girls,” Saraki said.

Also on Thursday, Dr. Saraki condemned the bomb blast in Maiduguri and the reported clashes between security agents and members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), otherwise called Shiites in some parts of Kaduna, Kano and Katsina States on Wednesday.

Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, commiserated with victims of the unfortunate suicide attack especially at a time the Federal Government has stepped up efforts aimed at total eradication of the menace of Boko Haram and keeping Nigerians safe from all forms of criminality no matter where they live.

While calling on the security agencies to gear up towards foiling such surreptitious attacks by the largely defeated insurgents, he called on Nigerians to be extra vigilant as they go about their daily businesses.

Saraki said: “If this stealthy suicide attack by the insurgents is meant to divert government’s commitment and focus at ensuring absolute peace and security, rehabilitation and resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North East, then they have clearly failed.

“The Government shall not waiver in its resolve to restore normalcy in the region even as it will continue operations aimed at routing the last vestiges of these outlaws,” he said.

On the clashes between members of the Shiites group and security operatives on the one hand and the attacks on suspected members of the group by some civilians, the Senate President called for restraint on the part of the security agencies while urging Nigerians not to take laws into their hands, notwithstanding the level of provocation.

He said: “The fact remains that the security agencies have the sole duty to enforce laws, protect citizens and maintain law and order. However, I call on the security agencies to exercise restraint in dealing with internal crisis so as to prevent avoidable loss of lives and property, while all aggrieved persons must of necessity adopt the use of dialogue in resolving their grievances,” he said.