One of the 219 schoolgirls kidnapped from their school dormitory in Chibok, Borno State, in April 2014, has been rescued from Sambisa Forest.
This came as troops of 7 Division of Nigerian military special clearance and rescue operations, otherwise known as Operation Crackdown, Tuesday, cleared Boko Haram terrorists out of their Njimia camp within Sambisa forest.
The girl, Amina Alli, was reportedly found near the edge of the large forest, close to Cameroon’s borders.
The girl is said to have escaped while on a mission to gather firewood to prepare meal for one of the leaders of the Boko Haram leaders keeping her.
A statement by Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, Acting Director, Army Public Relations, confirmed that one of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls was among those rescued by troops at Baale, near Damboa.
He said: “In continuation of Operation Crackdown, troops of 25 Brigade Damboa in conjunction with Civilian JTF deployed in one of the blocking positions at Baale, near Damboa rescued one Miss Amina Ali and a suspected Boko Haram terrorist, Mohammed Hayatu, who claimed to be her husband.
“Both were brought to headquarters, 25 Task Force Brigade, Damboa at about 2.30pm today (yesterday).
“Preliminary investigation shows that she is indeed one of the schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram terrorists on April 14, 2014 at Chibok and her name is Amina Ali as against Falmata Mbalala that was earlier stated.
“In addition, she is a nursing mother with a four-month-old baby girl, who was named Safiya. Both the suspected Boko Haram terrorist and the nursing mother have been taken to Maiduguri for further medical attention and screening.”
After she was taken to Chibok, where she was identified by her parents, Amina told the community leaders that: “All the girls are in Sambisa forest, but six of them had died.”
A source quoted Amina as saying that the remaining girls were “well secured and protected” to stop the Nigerian Army from rescuing them.
The group said: ”It was great news that the first Chibok school girl had been found. This raises hope that the remaining 218 girls and others still held captive would be rescued and reunited with their families.”
ActionAid Nigeria’s Country Director, Ojobo Ode Atuluku said: “We celebrate with the family of the found Chibok girl, and commend the effort of the Nigerian Army and the Civilian Joint Task Force for their efforts at ending insurgency in the North-East of Nigeria. The Nigerian government must intensify efforts and give them all required support to seek out the remaining girls.
“It is important for the government to strongly advocate against the stigma and discrimination women and girls face when they return. We also expect the Victims Support Fund of the Federal Government to be accountable and give report of how, girls and their babies are being cared for,” she said.
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