The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to rescuing the remaining 87 Chibok schoolgirls and Leah Sharibu, who remain in captivity years after their abductions by terrorist groups.
Speaking at a multi-agency anti-kidnapping meeting in Abuja, organised with the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, Major General Adamu Laka, National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, emphasised that the government has not relented in its efforts.
“We haven’t given up hope on them,” Laka declared, addressing the 87 girls still held since their 2014 abduction from Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, and Leah Sharibu, kidnapped in 2018 from Dapchi, Yobe State.
Laka, reflecting on his time in the field, detailed past successes in rescuing some of the 276 Chibok girls through negotiations and operations, noting, “It was a gradual process.”
He also addressed Sharibu’s case, the only Christian among the 110 Dapchi girls not released, stating, “We are still on it. It doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten about them.” Laka clarified that media silence does not reflect inaction, highlighting ongoing rescues of other captives, including aid workers from UNICEF, UNHCR, and IOM.
The Multi-Agency Anti-Kidnap Fusion Cell, launched in December 2024, has bolstered efforts by centralizing intelligence and deploying anti-kidnap liaison officers across all 36 states and the FCT to enhance coordination and response to kidnapping incidents.