President Muhammadu Buhari has approved
N164.7 million for the payment of second
semester school fees of the freed 106 Chibok girls
at the American University of Nigeria (AUN) ,
Yola, Adamawa.
The President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media
and Publicity, Garba Shehu , made this known in a
statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.
The presidential aide said that the President had
expressed satisfaction over the progress made so
far in the rehabilitation of the freed Chibok
schoolgirls.
According to him, Buhari expressed his feelings
while reviewing progress report on the affected
girls.
He said that the report was submitted to the
President in line with his commitment to
personally monitor the rehabilitation and
reintegration into society of the freed Chibok girls.
Shehu said the President also assured that the
Federal Government will continue to provide full
support for their education.
“The President has approved payment of the sum
of N164,763,759 million (one hundred and sixty
four million, seven hundred and sixty-three
thousand, seven hundred and fifty nine naira) for
the second semester school fees of the 106
Chibok girls at the American University of Nigeria
(AUN), Yola.
“According to the progress report received by the
President, the decision to pursue avenues in
addition to military action to free the abducted
girls is in the resolve to protect the lives of all
Nigerians.
“To end the insurgency in the northeast of the
country, and to fulfill one of the campaign
promises of the President.
“In line with this, the Federal Government entered
into negotiations with the Boko Haram terrorist
group for the release of the Chibok girls who were
kidnapped from their school dormitory on the
night of April 14, 2014.
“So far, two batches of 21 and 82 girls have been
freed as a result of those negotiations.
“Three additional girls were rescued by the
gallant efforts of our armed forces, bringing the
total number of freed Chibok girls so far to 106.’’
Shehu noted that as a result of their experiences
while in captivity, the freed girls were severely
traumatised and afflicted by various ailments and
injuries.
He stated that the girls were taken to secured
medical centres for attention.
“They also went through debriefing and de-
radicalisation by security operatives, after which
the girls were handed over to the Federal Ministry
of Women Affairs and Social Development.
“The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social
Development was assigned the main role in
supervising the rehabilitation and reintegration of
the girls back into society.
“Long before the girls were released, the Federal
Government had established the ‘Chibok Girls
Desk’ in the ministry, responsible for acting on
matters relating to the abducted Chibok
schoolgirls, and serving as a channel of
communication between relevant agencies and
the parents and relatives of the abducted girls.’’
The media aide said that the ministry of women
affairs, in collaboration with the United Nations
Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) , UN
Women, and other donor agencies, embarked on
programmes earmarked to facilitate the
rehabilitation and reintegration of the Chibok girls
with a nine-month time frame.
According to Shehu, a hostel in the National
Centre for Women Development was converted
into a suitable shelter, where the girls were kept
for the nine-month period.
“The programme, which began in January, ended
in September 2017. During the period, the 106
girls were given lessons in English, Mathematics,
Biology, Agriculture, and Civic Education.
In addition, they were trained on ICT and vocational
skills.
“Professionals were engaged to provide them with
psychosocial therapy and one-on-one counseling
to help them overcome post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD).’’
He said that periodic visits from the girls’ parents
to stimulate family support and reunion were
sponsored and organised by the ministry.
“Having successfully achieved the desired goals of
the rehabilitation and reintegration programme,
with recorded significant improvement in the
academic performance of the girls, in September,
a final send-off party was organised for the 106
Chibok girls.
“They were subsequently moved to the American
University of Nigeria (AUN) in Yola for their
foundation studies and continuation of their
education.’’
He disclosed that the AUN had successfully
established a foundation school for 14 out of the
57 Chibok girls who earlier escaped when the rest
of their classmates were taken to the Sambisa
forest by Boko Haram in 2014.
The presidential aide observed that the absorption
of the 106 girls into the AUN marked the
beginning of their integration into the larger
Nigerian society, thus fulfilling Buhari’s promise
of providing the best education for them.
“Although they have been officially handed over to
their parents, the Federal Government will
continue to be responsible for the payment of the
Chibok girls’ school fees right up to their
graduation from school,’’ Shehu said.
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