Patience Jonathan makes U-turn, admits Chibok girls missing
Two weeks after she said schoolgirls of Chibok, Borno State community, were not missing, First Lady Patience Jonathan today admitted that their abduction was real. In a statement Saturday morning by her spokesperson, Ayo Adesugba, said the African First Ladies Peace Mission (AFLPM) she heads, was committed to the collective efforts bringing the abducted girls […]
Two weeks after she said schoolgirls of Chibok, Borno State community, were not missing, First Lady Patience Jonathan today admitted that their abduction was real.
In a statement Saturday morning by her spokesperson, Ayo Adesugba, said the African First Ladies Peace Mission (AFLPM) she heads, was committed to the collective efforts bringing the abducted girls back safely.
Mrs Jonathan said only a combination of the contributions of the international community and Nigeria’s committed and patriotic security forces would further strengthen the search and rescue efforts.
According to her, the AFLPM strongly condemns the abduction of the Chibok girls and considers terrorist activities in other parts of Africa as totally callous, retrogressive and unacceptable.
It is her first public affirmation of the mass kidnapping since a meeting she convened in the wake of the kidnapping.
At the meeting, she had no schoolgirls was missing, claiming that protesters were out to kill her husband.
“You want to kill my husband; you want to make me a widow before you go and rest. My God will never make me a widow,” she had said.
On Saturday, Jonathan appealed to all political parties in Nigeria to rise above partisan interests and focus on national interest, especially the urgent task of bringing back the abducted girls.
Mrs Jonathan, who commiserated with the abducted girls’ families, prayed that the country soon overcome the security challenges.
She said her organisation called on mothers and women across Africa to continue to pray that ongoing efforts to rescue all the abducted girls be successful.
She appreciated the world leaders’ support and solidarity in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria.