The House of Representatives, yesterday, asked the Federal Government to set a target for security agencies to rescue the 219 Chibok school girls held in captivity two years after they were abducted by Boko Haram insurgents.
The girls were abducted on April 14, 2014.
The Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, gave the position of the House after an exhaustive debate on a motion to mark the second anniversary of the abduction of the girls.
The House resolved to send a “high-powered delegation” to Chibok to commiserate with the parents and relatives of the girls as a way of passing the message that the legislature shared in their pains.
The motion on the “Need to Intensify the Search and Rescue of the Chibok School Girls”, was moved by the All Progressives Congress member, representing Damboa/Chibok Federal Constituency of Borno State, Mrs. Asabe Bashir.
Dogara stated that searching for the girls had reached a point where government must set a target on when to rescue the girls to underscore the urgency of the situation.
“A time has come for us as an institution, to insist that the executive should set targets for the rescue of the girls.
“We have to set targets so that we don’t lose the sense of urgency that is required to free the girls”, Dogara added.
He particularly commended members of the Bring Back Our Girls’ campaigners for keeping the fate of the girls on the front burner.
“We must also comment the security forces of our country, who have been toiling day and night, searching for these girls,” he said.
While moving her motion in an emotion-laden voice, Bahir said a dark cloud had enveloped the world of the parents of the girls, two years on, without a word of assurance on how they would re-connect with their loved ones.
“The plea is that the federal government should intensify the search for these girls.
“For two years, their whereabouts are unknown ,” she reminded the House.
The Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Relations, Nnena Ukeje, condemned the cowardly acts of the Boko Haram insurgents, whom she said employed unconventional methods of fighting to attack soft targets.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari assures parents and relations of the kidnapped Chibok girls that he frequently reflects on the ordeal of the captives in the hands of Boko Haram terrorists and shares the pain of their continued absence from home.
On the second anniversary of the kidnap of the girls, yesterday, President Buhari affirmed that, as a parent and leader of the country, he understands the torment, frustration and anxiety of the parents and will not spare any effort to ensure the safe return of the girls.
The President said he believes that with the total commitment of the Federal Government, Nigerian Armed Forces and security agencies, and the support of the international community, the girls will be eventually rescued.
President Buhari noted that thousands of persons, mostly women and children, who were kidnapped by Boko Haram, have already been rescued and reunited with their families. He shares the hope of the parents that the Chibok girls will ultimately be rescued and reunited with their families as well.
The President assured the parents that the Federal Government and security agencies will continue to explore all possible options for the safe return of the girls.
Buhari urged the parents to continue to exercise patience and understanding as the government works diligently to ensure that the girls return home unharmed.
The President thanked all Nigerians, religious and civil organizations, and the international community for their continued sympathy, support and prayers for the return of the Chibok girls.