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Wednesday, 16 July 2014

Jonathan Now To Meet Chibok Girls Family July 22

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President Goodluck Jonathan has re-invited the families of the abducted
Chibok girls and the 12 escapees for July 22, 2014, after the earlier
scheduled one was abruptly canceled.

A letter to that effect has already been dispatched to the families.
The meeting earlier scheduled today (Tuesday) was called off over what
sources said was the “politicization” of the planned meeting.

Sources told Pointblanknews.com that former Education Minister, Mrs. Obi
Ezekwesili allegedly advised the Chibok families to shun the planned
Presidential visit scheduled for today, (Tuesday).

The Pakistani girl Education advocate, Malala Yousafzai who was on an
official visit to Nigeria had allegedly asked Ezekwesili during her
meeting with the #bringbackourgirls movement not to urge the abducted
Chibok families to turn down the visit.

Malala had prevailed on President Jonathan to meet with the families of
the abducted girls during her visit to the President.

Ezekwesili allegedly insisted that the visit will become a Public
Relations tool for the President and as such the Chibok families should
shun the invitation.

Another source told Pointblanknews.com that the Chibok Community is
already divided over the scheduled Presidential visit as some claim that
12 Parents and Five girls cannot represent the interest of families who
are victim of the kidnap and the attack on Chibok by the sect.

A source privy to the development informed Pointblanknews.com that the
President after consideration had no choice but to cancel the planned
visit pending when leaders of Chibok Community are able to fix their
differences.

However, a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Public
Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, accused the #BringBackOurGirls movement of
scuttling the planned visit.

He said: “It now appears that our fight to get the girls of Chibok back is
not only a fight against a terrorist insurgency, but also against a
political opposition.

“It is with great regret that I announce the cancellation of the meeting
with 12 parents of the abducted Chibock children, as well as five of the
brave girls who escaped from the terrorist organization Boko Haram. I
scheduled this meeting, which was to be open to the media for coverage by
Nigerian and international press, to listen to their stories and to
privately brief the parents and the girls on our efforts to rescue the
abducted girls.

“My priority is not politics. My priority is the return of these girls.
“Unfortunately, political forces within the Nigerian chapter of Bring Back
Our Girls have decided to take this opportunity to play politics with the
situation and the grief of the parents and the girls. They should be
ashamed of their actions.

“Those who would manipulate the victims of terrorism for their own
benefit, are engaging in a similar kind of evil: psychological terrorism.

“I want to be clear, this government stands with complete solidarity with
the girls and their parents. We are doing everything in our power to bring
back our girls. Despite the shameful and disgusting games being played by
the Nigerian chapter of Bring Back Our Girls, as a father of girls, I
stand ready to meet with the parents of our abducted children and the
truly brave girls that have escaped this nightmare through the grace of
God.”


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