Over a decade after Boko Haram abducted 276 schoolgirls from Chibok, the Federal Government has restated its commitment to securing the release of the 87 girls still in captivity, as well as Leah Sharibu, the Dapchi schoolgirl kidnapped in 2018.
Speaking in Abuja during a multi-agency anti-kidnapping meeting with the UK’s National Crime Agency, Maj Gen Adamu Laka, National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), said government efforts have not slowed.
“We haven’t given up. Some girls have been rescued gradually over the years. Leah Sharibu is not forgotten either,” he stated.
Laka noted that many rescue efforts, including negotiations and military operations, have been ongoing but largely silent to avoid jeopardizing missions. He emphasized that silence doesn’t mean inaction.
To boost national response, the Multi-Agency Anti-Kidnap Fusion Cell, commissioned in December 2024 by NSA Nuhu Ribadu, now serves as Nigeria’s central hub for kidnapping-related intelligence.
Additionally, the NCTC is deploying anti-kidnap liaison officers from the Police and DSS across all 36 states and the FCT to strengthen real-time, local intelligence and bridge the gap between federal and state-level security efforts.
“Our aim is to enhance coordination and ensure no victim is forgotten,” Laka added.
