Youth of Northeast, on Monday, said God was using the Nigerian military to gradually ‘wipe their tears’ following the recent return of one of the Chibok girls, Ruth Nglari Apagu, who was kidnapped seven years ago by Boko Haram terrorists.
Daily Trust recalls that the girl, Apagu, who had been in captivity for seven years is among the over 200 schoolgirls abducted on April 14, 2014 when the terrorists attacked Government Girls’ Secondary School (GGSS), Chibok, Borno State.
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The girl was married to a Boko Haram fighter and returned with two children she had while in captivity.
The Chibok girl and her husband had surrendered to Nigerian troops on July 28 at a location in Bama.
Reacting to the development, the Northeast youth under the aegis of North East Youth Advocacy (NEYA) in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, stressed that the return of Ruth and turnaround of her husband, a Boko Haram fighter, gave hope that peace will return to Northeast.
The youths, in the statement signed by their President and the Secretary of NEYA, Shehu Kumo and Asmau Bindo respectively, appealed to the military not to rest on their oars, but to sustain the heat on the insurgents, so the remaining girls will return home.
“We have been in tears all these while over the fate of our sisters abducted by Boko Haram. But the return of Ruth is an assurance to us that the Armed Forces of Nigeria under Gen LEO Irabor is not relenting to ensure they are reunited with their families.
“We use this opportunity to appeal to the Insurgents to lay down arms. Our North-East is in dire need of peace for socio-economic development to thrive once more. We also appeal to the residents of the North-East to support the Nigerian military, as they continue to sacrifice for the peace of our country.”
“We use this opportunity to commend the military for all they are doing for us, otherwise, the North-East will have been run over,” the youth said in the statement.
They noted that they are very much aware that the Nigerian military is doing its best to restore peace in the region and ensure the abducted girls have not been forgotten.