Sambisa tour enriched our demand - Oby Ezekwesili

The Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) group has said it will not stop demanding the release of the remaining Chibok Girls.



Speaking after returning from the guided tour of Sambisa forest, the group's convener, Dr Oby Ezekwesili the BBOG remains resilient until the remaining girls in Boko Haram's captivity are rescued.

She stated this on Tuesday, January 17, at a briefing in Abuja following an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) operation to the Sambisa forest, which used to be the terror group's primary abode.

Ezekwesili, however, commended the Nigerian Air Force on its innovative use of technology.
She said: "By joining the NAF to do ISR day and night, we saw what it looks like to embark on a search for targets like the abducted Chibok girls. It also helps to frame the question we have been asking, we leave here to say the Federal Government should be able to say what strategic decision should be taken.

"We have learnt that the Nigerian Air Force is working to generate the information that supports the Army to ensure the security of the theatre of war.

"Negotiations led to the highest yield of 21 girls, four came back after the military raided their bases, that is, they either escaped or were found after the raid.
"It becomes a strategic question, we will hold the Federal Government accountable to a decision on what options work better for our girls and others.

"The information has empowered and enriched our demand, the Minister for Information has given the assurance that 80 girls would be part of a batch based on negotiation, we will keep asking for that."

The former minister of education further called for the prosecution of top government officials who have mismanaged military hardware funds.
"Imagine what would have happened if the whole money has been spent on buying the equipment, we are more empowered to demand sanctions," she added.

Some BBOG members, journalists and other select few were invited by the Federal Government for the tour of Sambisa to witness first-hand the efforts of the military in the search for the missing Chibok schoolgirls and other abductees of the Boko Haram sect.