Parents Give Up On Abducted Girls …As CAN Begins 3-Day Prayer

Parents of the remaining school girls abducted by Boko Haram gunmen on Monday in Chibok, Borno State, said they have given up their efforts to rescue their children.
The parents, who pooled resources to buy fuel for motor-cycles, followed the abductors tracks up till 100 kilometres from Chibok, but gave up following warnings that Boko Haram gunmen may kill them if they ventured further.
But the parents were perplexed that while they were on the Boko Haram trail, no single Nigerian soldier was seen, despite the advertised manhunt of the abductors by military authorities.
After the goof by the military authorities over the claim that all but eight of the 129 school girls captured by the Boko Haram from a Chibok secondary school had been rescued, the new discovery that the soldiers were not on any rescue mission, has further deepened their suspicion about the seriousness of the military in rescuing their daughters.
Enoch Mark, one of the parents of the abducted girls told newsmen about their shock discovery.
Mark and other locals said they had seen no signs of a military build-up and questioned the seriousness of the ongoing rescue mission.
During a nine-hour search on Thursday which extended 100 kilometres (62 miles) outside of Chibok, “we did not come across any soldiers,” Mark said, in an account supported by several other residents.
Chibok, in southern Borno, has a sizeable minority Christian population and so many of kidnapped girls were Christians although Muslim students were taken as well.
Borno State Education Commissioner, Dr Inua Kubo told journalists late Friday that 14 more girls had been found, leaving 85 girls still missing.
Some girls had escaped immediately after the kidnapping, jumping off the back of trucks as the Islamists tried to cart them away under the cover of darkness.
Others asked for permission to use the bathroom, and ran once they were a short distance away from the gunmen.
It was not yet clear how the latest group managed to flee, but Kubo said 11 were found in a town on the road that connects Chibok to Borno’s capital Maiduguri, and three others had fled back to their school.
Some of those who escaped earlier this week said the hostages were taken to the Sambisa Forest area, where Boko Haram is known to have well fortified camps.
One father said he and others decided to turn back after locals told them the insurgents were nearby and were prepared to slaughter anyone who advanced further.
“If we were armed as they are we would surely go…and face them,” said Enoch Mark, whose daughter and two nieces were among those taken.
Students have been massacred while sleeping in their dormitories, but a mass abduction specifically targeting girls is unprecedented.
A security source said there were indications that the insurgents have used female hostages as both sex slaves and cooks.
Boko Haram has categorically ruled out peace negotiations and backed away from several ceasefire offers, but Mark nevertheless pleaded with the Islamists to show compassion.
“We call on Boko Haram to release our daughters who have committed no offence against anyone,” he said.
Meanwhile, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Borno has declared fasting from today to Wednesday to seek divine intervention for the release of the abducted students of the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok.
The chairman of the association in the state, Rev. Titus Pona announced the fasting to newsmen yesterday in Maiduguri.
“We are calling on all Christians in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and even beyond to begin a three- day fasting and prayer session to seek for God’s help for the release of the abducted girls.
“The continued stay of these girls in the abductor’s camp has created worry in the minds of the parents and other well-meaning Nigerians.
We pray that through prayer, God will touch the hearts of the abductors so that they will release them, ’’ Pona said.
Pona also urged the insurgents to dialogue with government if they had any grievances.
“We call on the insurgents to please put down their arms and dialogue with government, either at the state or at the federal level.
“They should release the girls in the name of God because only 43 girls were reported to have escaped from the abductors.
Pona appealed to the Federal Government to deploy more troops to rural areas in Borno, following increased attacks by the insurgents.
“Since the insurgents are increasingly attacking villages and rural communities, government should deploy more troops to the areas to safeguard lives and property,’’ he said.

Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi (left with a cross) participating in Good Friday Stations of the Cross. The hooded cross on his left shoulder is symbolic.