#CHIBOK UPDATE: PARENTS SCAERD OF CHILDREN GOING BACK TO SCHOOL

There are strong indications that parents of the abducted Federal Government College, Chibok girls, may have finally given up hope on the possibility of their children returning to school to further their education if they are eventually released.

Some of the parents of the girls who visited Lagos last Thursday with three of the girls who escaped from their captors recently told a News Source in an exclusive interview that they were under immense pressure to stop their children’s education if they regain their freedom. One of the mothers , Beatrice Ruth said her husband, who was once passionate about his children’s education is now a discouraged man as far as education of his children is concerned.

Beatrice whose two daughters are among the over 200 girls currently in Boko Haram’s custody attributed her husband’s decision to the trauma her family has gone through since April 14, when the girls were abducted. “Since the day they were abducted we have gone through pains and agony. Life has never been the same for my family. 

My husband is somehow discouraged about the possibility of our children returning to school after they are released,” she tells a News source through an interpreter.

She however, expressed her desire to support her daughters’ education when they are eventually released. “I am ready to support them to further their studies when they return,” she said.

Another mother who spoke premised the possibility of her daughter’s return to school on availability of resources to finance her education outside Chibok. 

The woman who identified herself as Yakubu Esther said her daughter will only return to school if she has the means. “If I have the means, I will send her to school outside. But if there is no means to achieve that it will be very difficult to send her to school again because the only school we have around has been burnt. The school was the only hope we had as far as the education of our children is concerned in the community,” she said. However, the leader of Gabasa Women Initiative, a non-governmental organization which facilitated the women’s visit to Lagos, Kucheli Balami, said her organization would do everything within it powers to encourage the girls’ parents on the need to ensure their children return to school. “We know what to do to make them change their minds. I am able to come out in support of these women because I am educated. I know the benefits of education. We only want our daughters back. If they come back, they will return to school,” she vowed.

The leader of the group also shed light on the mission of the women in Lagos. “The mission of Gabasa Women in Lagos is to cry out to the world that our daughters are truly missing and we want them back,” Balami said.

Speaking earlier, a United States congressman, Louie Gohmert, called on the Nigerian government to intensify its effort at finding lasting solution to the security challenge in the country. He urged the girls’ parents to remain hopeful, saying this may be a gloomy night but the morning is coming.