The Muslim community in Osun State has appealed to Boko Haram to release the over 200 missing Chibok schoolgirls who were abducted in 2014, Punch reports.
The Vice-President of the Osun State Muslim Community, Alhaji Mustafa said that the girls had been in captivity for a long time and would be best served if they were released.
“We can only appeal to them to release them from where they are being kept. It is strange how they abducted over 200 girls in the first place, they didn’t take them away by aircraft, they used vehicles and no single vehicle could convey them at a time.
He added that it was wrong for the terrorist organisation to be labelled as Islamic organisations as they in no way represented Islam.
News24 reported that President Muhammadu Buhari requested the United Nations to help mediate with the terror group, Boko Haram, in order to free the over 200 abducted Chibok girls.
The teenage girls were kidnapped by the Boko Haram in April 2014 from their government-owned school in Chibok, Borno State. The Buhari administration has faced heavy criticisms for its inability to secure the release of the girls.
Speaking in New York during a bilateral meeting with UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, Buhari said his government was willing to accept the UN as a mediator. He reiterated his earlier stance that it was difficult identifying the credible leadership of the sect.
“The challenge is in getting credible and bona fide leadership of Boko Haram to discuss with,” the President told the UN Scribe. “The split in the insurgent group is not helping matters. Government had reached out, ready to negotiate, but it became difficult to identify credible leaders. We will welcome intermediaries such as UN outfits, to step in.”
The Federal Government announced that it has launched fresh bid to rescue the Chibok girls. Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, announced the new move at a media briefing in Abuja on Friday.
The minister said previous efforts to bring back the girls were frustrated by in fighting among the insurgents and middle men, who exploited the process for pecuniary gains.
