Chibok parents write Remi Tinubu, say ‘World may have moved on but our horror lingers’

In a poignant plea echoing the pain of unresolved loss, the parents of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls have penned a heartfelt letter to Remi Tinubu, wife of President Bola Tinubu.

Nearly ten years after the shocking kidnapping of over a hundred schoolgirls by Boko Haram insurgents, the anguish of the families remain palpable, underscoring a persistent wound in Nigeria’s collective conscience.

The letter, signed by 91 parents, reflects a poignant mix of resignation and hope as they implore Tinubu for assistance in ensuring the return of their daughters. Despite the passage of time and shifting global priorities, their grief remains raw and unhealed. The world may have moved on, but for these families, the nightmare persists unabated.

The parents made the appeal in an open letter entitled: “A Plea for Justice and Remembering the Chibok Girls – A Letter to Her Excellency Mrs. Remi Tinubu”, on Wednesday.

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The letter was signed by Yana Galang and Mallam Zanna for and on behalf of the Chibok Parents Association and those whose children are yet to return.

They noted that while the world might have moved on, “for us, the pain remains raw. And the wounds refuse to heal.

“We are haunted by the memories of that night when our girls were taken from us. And every day we pray for their safe return.

“We have not lost hope, Your Excellency. We have not given up on our daughters. And will continue to fight for their freedom until they are brought back to us.

“We urge you to use your influence and your platform to ensure that the plight of the Chibok girls is never forgotten.”

Also, they asked “that justice is served, and that those responsible for this heinous act are held accountable.”

The abduction of more than 270 schoolgirls from the Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, in April 2014 drew international condemnation and sparked the viral #BringBackOurGirls campaign. While some girls managed to escape or were rescued in the years following the abduction, scores remain missing, their fate unknown.

In their letter, the parents lamented the lack of progress in securing the release of their daughters and expressed frustration with the government’s perceived indifference to their plight. They beseeched. Mrs Tinubu, a figure of influence within Nigeria’s political landscape, to use her platform and connections to reignite efforts to locate and rescue the missing girls.

The appeal to Mrs Tinubu underscores the enduring desperation of the Chibok community and their relentless quest for closure. Despite promises from successive administrations to prioritize the rescue of the abducted girls, tangible outcomes have been scarce, leaving families trapped in a perpetual cycle of anguish and uncertainty.

As the letter makes its way to Tinubu’s office, it serves as a stark reminder of the unresolved trauma that continues to haunt Chibok and communities across Nigeria’s conflict-ridden northeast. While the world’s attention may have shifted, the agony of the Chibok parents endures, a sobering testament to the enduring scars of terrorism and the human cost of unresolved conflict.

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