Over a decade after Boko Haram abducted 276 schoolgirls from Chibok, the Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to rescuing the 87 girls still in captivity, alongside Leah Sharibu, the Dapchi schoolgirl held since 2018.
Major General Adamu Laka, National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, made the pledge Tuesday at a multi-agency anti-kidnapping meeting in Abuja, held in collaboration with the UK’s National Crime Agency.
“Let no one think we’ve given up. We haven’t,” Laka declared. “Some have been rescued through painstaking operations and negotiations. We are still working and we will not stop.”
Leah Sharibu, the only Christian among 110 girls abducted by ISWAP from Dapchi, remains in captivity while her classmates were freed.
Laka stressed that the lack of media coverage does not mean government indifference. “Just because it’s not always in the news doesn’t mean nothing is happening,” he said. “We are on it. We pray all those left the 80-plus girls will be rescued by God’s grace.”
The Chibok girls were kidnapped on April 14, 2014, while the Dapchi abduction occurred on February 19, 2018.
The counterterrorism chief also highlighted the ongoing work of the Multi-Agency Anti-Kidnap Fusion Cell, launched in December 2024 by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
The cell functions as a central coordination and intelligence-sharing hub, aiding military and security operatives nationwide in tackling kidnappings.
To bolster its reach, the centre has deployed anti-kidnap liaison officers drawn from the Nigeria Police and DSS to all 36 states and the FCT, ensuring a seamless flow of real-time intelligence from the field to national security planners.
“The aim is simple,” Laka said. “Close the gap between state-level response and national strategy.”
