Chibok activists demand government to find the missing girls

In a meeting held between the two sides, Buhari promised supporters and relatives of the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls that troops for a regional force to fight the militants would be in place by the end of July. It is the first meeting between Buhari and the activists. Their previous attempts to meet former President Goodluck Jonathan were fruitless after the latter turned down their request. The chairman of Chibok Association, Tsambido Hosea-Abana , spoke to DW about their meeting with Buhari.

DW: What transpired at the meeting?

Tsambido Hosea Abana: For me it's not something new. It has been promises and more promises again. The only difference is that this time it is coming from a different person (Buhari). Otherwise it is the same Nigerian government, although the approach may be different. That is our hope. Otherwise it is not something that will change my thinking about the government.

In other words the promises made by President Buhari didn't give you fresh hopes?

They didn't give me fresh hope. My hope is only in God because the Nigerian government has failed. It is now over 460 days and the children are still out there with no news about them. Even Buhari has been in office for more than forty days. There has been no effort yet to rescue the girls. It has only been talking and talking. That is the Nigerian system but at least the words came from the mouth of a former general and a person who is determined to bring change.

One of the things that you have not been happy about with the former government of Goodluck Jonathan was that it wasn't giving you feedback on what they are doing to rescue the girls. Has the new government done anything different to this effect?

Yes, we have seen great improvement with the new government. It has promised to communicate to us and keep us abreast with what they are doing. If that is done we welcome the effort.

There have been reports in the past of some women and girls who were rescued by the army. Were the Chibok girls among them?

None of them is among the rescued girls. Even when we asked those who were rescued by the army whether they have seen the Chibok girls, they said no. They were told that the Chibok girls are in an area that is heavily fortified.

Did you share your frustrations with President Buhari and what exactly did you tell him?

What I told him is that since the former government has failed us, we are hopeful that his government will do something different from the former government and that this government has said that it is a shame for Nigeria to seek military assistance from neighboring countries. So we hope that he will put things right.

Tsambido Hosea-Abana is the Chairman of Chibok Association in Abuja.

Interview: Isaac Mugabi