CAMPAIGNERS fighting to secure the release of the 219 Chibok schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram two years ago have blamed former President Goodluck Jonathan's refusal to acknowledge the kidnapping for about a week as one of the reasons why they were not found.

On April 14 2014, the pupils were kidnapped from Government Girls Secondary School Chibok in Borno State while asleep in their boarding school. Campaign group BringBackOurGirls (BBOG), was set up immediately afterwards to campaign for their release and campaigners say they were hindered by the fact that for a month after their kidnapping, Dr Jonathan did not believe they were abducted. 

Exactly two year today, 267 Chibok girls were abducted by the sect but several of them managed to escape when their lorry broke down and 219 of them still remain in the hands of Boko Haram. BBOG attributed the failure to liberate the missing Chibok schoolgirls two years after their abduction, to the delay of the Jonathan government in rescuing them. 

BBOG spokesman, Tunji Olanrewaju, said: “We believe strongly that the delay is a strong factor, no doubt about that and it was the reason why we came our very vocally against the government that they needed to do something, act faster and be more creative in how they go about it. Experts are of the opinion that in the case of abduction, if a rescue mission is not launched within the first 48 hours, the chances of successful rescue diminishes.

 "Because of the doubt that permeated the government at that time, the right thing was not done and that is the reason we are where we are today. The first official response did not happen until after 18 days and then, the fact-finding committee was set up on the 19th day of the abduction, the implication was that the government was in doubt about the abduction and it was after the fact-finding committee submitted its report that we had an official response from the government that 219 school girls were abducted."

He stated that although the international community established the location of the girls through the satellite, there was no concerted effort to rescue them. Responding to the reports that the some of the girls might have been used as child bombers by Boko Haram, the BBOG spokesman observed that most of the suicide bombers were below the age of the schoolgirls, adding that the youngest of the missing girls would be about 17 years old.

Mr Olanrewaju added: “Most of the girls quoted in the report are below 12, they are below the age of Chibok girls who are about 17 years and above. We know that most of the child bombers may not be Chibok girls but they are Nigerians and this made us sad."

Comparing the handling of the girls rescue operation by the Jonathan and Buhari administrations, the BBOG activist said latter was more proactive, noting that it, however, under-estimated the enormity of the challenges on the ground. According to Mr Olanrewaju, President Muhammadu Buhari was well aware of the issue of the missing girls before coming to power, stressing that his administration had recorded more gains in the war against the insurgents.

Meanwhile, three mothers of schoolgirls said they had identified their daughters in a recent video released by Boko Haram. In the first possible sighting of the girls since a video in May 2014, Boko Haram released a tape on Tuesday, in which 15 of the girls were featured, calling on the Nigerian government to cooperate with the terrorists on their release. 

In the video, the girls were filmed saying they were being treated well but wanted to go home and be with their families. Rifkatu Ayuba and Mary Ishaya said they recognised their daughters, Saratu and Hauwa, in the video, while a third mother, Yana Galang, identified five of the missing girls.