For Chibok girls, elections in liberated towns, no hope yet

Elections may not hold in north east areas liberated from the Boko Haram insurgents by the military as government structures still need to be restored for that to happen.

This was the submission of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, while speaking to reporters after a Security Council meeting on Tuesday.

Minimah said, “I am not competent to speak on that (elections) matter. INEC is still there, INEC has to re-access the situation and evaluate because the areas have been liberated, but I can also tell you that not all structures of governance have been reinstated.

“They will need to be reinstated so that citizens can go back to their areas and it is then I think they can execute their rights as voters.”

Despite the success recorded however, Minimah said there was no news yet on the over 200 schoolgirls abducted in Chibok, Borno State, almost a year ago.

He said, “There is no news on the Chibok girls for now. In all the liberated areas, we have also made enquiries but the truth is when the terrorists are running away, they also run with their families.

“Those we have   come in contact with have not made any comments suggesting that Chibok girls were there and taken away.

“But we are optimistic that as they are losing the areas captured by them, we will get further details on that.”

 

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