Chibok girls rescue: Nigerians chase ex president on twitter for reaction

Goodluck Jonathan was Nigerian president in 2014 when insurgent group, Boko Haram stormed the town of Chibok in Borno State and abducted over 270 school girls.

Those were the days when the insurgents still had some of their flags hoisted in some local government areas (LGA) in Borno and adjoining states.

In the days after the abduction, there was talk of some doubts over the veracity of the fact that such a large number of girls had been abducted.

The Chibok girls became a political issue in the 2015 elections which Goodluck Jonathan’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that had ruled Nigeria for 16 years lost. They lost to Muhammadu Buhari who contested on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Over 900 days after their abduction, the group has released 21 of the girls with the government hinting of more rescues as they continue to engage the group in talks. A large cross section of Nigerians have openly expressed their joy at the development.

The rescue of the girls have been celebrated by politicians, by the families, by the Chibok community, activists Bring Back Our Girls and other like minded groups the world over.

Some Nigerians however find it intriguing that the man who was commander in chief of the Armed Forces when the girls were abducted is yet to speak on the issue that has brought the country so much joy and excitement.

Consequently, Nigerians have decided to demand for ex President Jonathan to publicly speak on the issue. Since the release on October 13 whatever message Jonathan posts on his official twitter handle gets people commenting on whether he has heard about the rescue of the girls.

The responses span from the political, the humorous and even the nationalistic angles. We present a few of those tweets below.

GEJonathan Have you heard the girls who were kidnapped by BH under your watch have been rescued by Buhari?
👇👇👇 pic.twitter.com/YmH4dWcXT9

— Abbas Lawan Ibrahim (abbashawk) October 19, 2016

GEJonathan hypocrite Jona👇👇👇 pic.twitter.com/1kWC8K0zzn

— jostunna (OkpaJo) October 19, 2016

GEJonathan indeed my former President. How I wish you also have some good words to the 21 chibok girls.Have a good day

— NSA (nurasaniakawu) October 19, 2016

GEJonathan I knew it, are the Chibok girls not great daughters of Nigeria?

— #BringBackOurGirls (iam_olutayo) October 19, 2016

GEJonathan sir u re silent on the chibok girls release

— Mannie (Emmanuel_dane) October 19, 2016

GEJonathan RIP to the dead have u rejoiced with the chibok family?

— Yusuf Adewunmi (dashmya) October 19, 2016

Make a real turning point; stand for history & do the right thing: apologise to the #ChibokGirls & say welcome to them. GEJonathan

— Dupe Killa (dupekilla) October 17, 2016

By not commenting on the released #ChibokGirls, you missed ANOTHER chance to right some wrongs from your time as President. Sad.GEJonathan

— Dupe Killa (dupekilla) October 17, 2016

21 #ChibokGirls are back. Say hello. GEJonathan

— Dupe Killa (dupekilla) October 17, 2016

Timeline of the Chibok Girls abduction and rescues

• The girls were abducted on 14 April in 2014
• A total of 276 girls were abducted at night by the militants at their school
• Out of the number 57 managed to escape after jumping out of the truck that was transporting them
• One girl, Amina Ali Nkeki, was found in May year. * She was found along with her baby and ‘militant’ partner
• In August 2016, Boko Haram released a video in which they claimed that military airstrikes had killed some of the girls
• They expressed the desire to swap the girls for their ‘brothers’ who were being held by the Nigerian government.
  October 13, the government confirmed the rescue of 21 other girls.
• With 57 who escaped plus 22 rescued, the number still missing comes up to 197.
• Buhari met with the rescued girls on October 19 and promised some more girls were in line to be rescued.
• The rescue was brokered by the Swiss government and facilitated by the Red Cross.