Leader of the Ijaw advises Government to set up taskforce to rescue Chibok girls
By Babagana Jidda
Kanempress News
16th April 2024
An elder statesman and leader of the Ijaw nation, Edwin Clark, has advised Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to set up a taskforce to rescue the schoolgirls kidnapped from Chibok, Northeast Borno State, and others in captivity.
Speaking at a news conference in Abuja on Monday to commemorate the tenth year anniversary of the girls’ abduction, Clark asserted that the taskforce should coordinate the rescue operation with courage.
He berated past administrations for not being able to rescue the girls and others in captivity, stressing that President Tinubu should be bold enough and ensure no stone was left unturned in rescuing the girls and create a legacy for his administration.
Clark said about 90 of the girls are still in captivity and Nigeria cannot forgo its nationals in such a manner.
“Tinubu should appoint a special taskforce with brave soldiers, competent, transparent and not nepotic,” the elder statesman said.
“It appears to some of us that President Tinubu’s government is not serious in the effort to rescue the remaining Chibok girls,” Clark said.
“About 90 of them are still missing after 10 years. This should be a source of worry and concern to any government of a serious nation,” the elder statesman pointed out.
Clark recalled how the United States of America, rescued its citizen, Mr Philip Walton, who was taken hostage between Niger Republic and Nigeria boundary in October 2020 in such a bizarre manner, noting that Nigeria has what it takes to create a history of such a feat.
”The then President of the US, Mr. Donald Trump, followed the matter to its conclusion. When Mr. Philip was rescued, President Trump was so excited that a citizen of his country held hostage had been rescued and described the action as ‘big win for our very elite US Special Forces,” Clark concluded.
