By Yusuf Ismail
Reading your article on the above made me feel sad about the way and manner issues are handled in our clime. In as much as I know you are trying to do your job as SA on Media & Strategy to Minister of State for Defence, I will rather like you to think before putting something up in the public domain.
You said there was a directive that all schools in Borno should be closed and why was this school opened? From your article, you put it up as if the Chibok school was the only school opened in Maiduguri during that period and want it to look like a conspiracy, well, as you rightly put it, some selected schools were opened for the purpose of the students completing their WASSCE exam after discussions and agreement that there will be security for them. Except as usual, if your principals will like to deny such happened prior to opening the schools.
Your assertion that the explanation that the school was opened for this purpose was doubtful shows you refused to clarify some things from your principal before putting up your article or you deliberately chose to mislead your readers. Also supporting your argument with unsubstantiated age of the girls showed you are out to deceive your readers. Pictures of some of the girls that escaped from their capture so far did not show any one of them were within the age bracket of 12 years as you wanted us to believe.
You also asserted that the number of parents and relatives of the kidnapped girls are remarkably low compared to the purported number of girls declared missing. You asked “Why was this so?”
Well, I am sure you are trying to play on the intelligence of your readers by now. Firstly, with the numbers of parents and relatives I saw in the protest (apart from others who joined), most right thinking Nigerians absolutely did not doubt the number of the kidnapped girls. Also, you need to know that not all the parents and/or relatives will be willing to come all the way from Chibok down to Abuja even when there are provisions for their transportation and other needs. Besides, police, SSS and other agencies released updated number of missing girls couple of days ago, which was higher than the previous figures in public domain (provided by the school) with a caveat that the number may increase due to the fact I earlier stated of selected schools been used for the purpose of writing the final exam. Except you are saying we should doubt the figure coming from these security outfits too.
For your information, there is comprehensive list and photographs of all reported missing girls now but cannot be released publicly the way your likes want it. The dignity of the girls are very important to us than playing politics with their life and future.
I agree with you that Nigeria Army are among the best trained in the world and their successes in missions outside the shores of our country. These feats was largely due to motivation and level of equipment provided for such missions. What is the usefulness of highly trained soldiers without necessary motivation and equipment to function? Nobody has denied all the allegations that our soldiers are poorly motivated and ill equipped for the task before them.
At the end of the day, we will still ask you and your principals to do your job and #BringBackOurGirls safely.
_______________________
Yusuf Ismail
Concern citizen of Nigeria
For engagement you can reach me on @YusufIsmail1
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