By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – UNICEF has expressed delight over the return of the Kidnapped Dapchi school girls abducted on the 19th February by Boko Haram.
This is as it has offered to work with civil society organizations to ensure that each of the girls receives individual attention – from medical treatment to psychosocial support.
Eva Hinds, Communication Specialist, UNICEF made this known on Wednesday in a statement sent to Sundiata Post.
UNICEF also extended its condolence the families whose daughters could not come home, especially the families of the five school girls reported to have died.
While reminding that over 2,295 teachers have been killed and 19,000 displaced, and almost 1,400 schools destroyed since the start of the insurgency in 2009, UNICEF expressed gratitude to all parties for their efforts in ensuring safe return of the girls to their families.
“UNICEF is also working with civil society organizations to ensure that each girl receives individual attention – from medical treatment to psychosocial support.
“Our condolences to the families whose daughters could not come home. As we await further confirmation, five girls have reportedly died. UNICEF grieves with the families who lost their daughters.
“We are grateful for the efforts of all parties in ensuring safe return of the girls to their families.
Similarly, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has hailed the news of the return of the schoolgirls abducted from Government Girls Science Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State by Boko Haram.
The party said the prompt release of the Dapchi schoolgirls is another solid demonstration of the political will of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration to secure the lives of all Nigerians.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, said that the alacrity with which the release of Dapchi girls was achieved is a demonstration of how government should respond to such situations. Adding that, “If the immediate-past Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration had responded with similar swiftness, the Chibok schoolgirls would have been released or rescued.
The Party also assured that reforms that the government has embarked on would improve the capacity and efficiency of our security agencies to prevent the kidnap of children by terrorists and diminish their ability to carry out attacks on soft targets.