One of the 219 girls abducted by Boko Haram insurgents from the Chibok Secondary School hostel on April 14 2014 has been found.

Amina Ali was among the group of women rescued on Tuesday by a local vigilante on the fringe of the Sambisa forest.

The girl was found following a military onslaught on Baale village near Damboa in Borno State after which many women and children were rescued.

By a stroke of coincidence, a local hunter (vigilante) saw Amina in company of other women and identified her as one of the abducted Chibok girls.

According to the vigilante, who identified himself as Apaagu, he recognised Amina from among the women because he is also from Chibok community and knows the girls’ parents.

Apaagu told reporters in Maiduguri on telephone from Damboa that he picked out Amina and told the military that she is one of the Chibok girls.

“When I saw her, I recognised her because I know her. I told the military that she is one of the Chibok girls that were missing. We picked her out from among other women,” Apaagu said.

He said Amina was taken to her family house in Chibok where she met her mother in an emotional reunion before she was taken away by the military in Damboa.

“We went with her to her family house in Chibok and met her mother who embraced her warmly, Both of them were in tears,” Apaagu said.

The vigilante said Amina was with her four-month old baby – fathered by one of her abductors.

Amina was yesterday taken to Maiduguri, where she was received by Governor Kashim Shettima.

President Muhammadu Buhari may meet with the rescued girl before being allowed to unite with her parents, a presidential spokesman said yesterday.

The Abuja Chibok community Chairman under the umbrella of the Kibaku Area Development Association (KADA), Mr. Hosea Tsambido, said Amina told the vigilantes who rescued her that the Chibok girls were hidden away in a place that the military might never find them.

He said:”The Chibok vigilantes had gone on patrol inside Sambisa forest when they found one of the Chibok girls identified as Amina Ali, collecting firewood.

“She has given birth and is breastfeeding. She told them that her mates are still intact, well taken care of, protected and hidden, that even the Army will not be able to find them.”

Tsambido quoted Amina as saying six of the girls were dead but that others are alive and well.

Chibok Girl’s Parents Association Chairman Mr. Yakubu Nkeki, told our reporter on the telephone: “Yes Amina was found on Tuesday by our community vigilante. They brought her to my house and my wife received her because I was not in the village at the time.

“I called the leader of the vigilante group as soon as my wife told me and he confirmed it. They took her home to meet her mother who was so thankful to God that she is alive and well. Unfortunately, her father is one of the parents that died after they were abducted.”

“She has been taken to the Nigerian Army post in Damboa and has been assisting the troops with their investigation and she will be taken to Maiduguri tomorrow.”

A community leader in Chibok, Ayuba Adamsao, was quoted by the French News Agency, AFP, as saying: “She met her parents, who recognised their daughter before she was taken to the military base in Damboa.”

He added: “Her father’s name is Ali and the girl’s name is Amina. I know the family very well because I have worked with them, being a spokesman for the families of the Chibok girls.”

Yakubu Nkeki, head of the Abducted Chibok Girls Parents’ group, also confirmed her name and said she was 17 when she was abducted.

He added: “She’s the daughter of my neighbour… They brought her to my house.”

Aboku Gaji, leader of the JTF in Chibok, said: “The moment this girl was discovered by our vigilantes, she was brought to my house. I instantly recognised her, and insisted we should take her to her parents.

“When we arrived at the house… I asked the mother to come and identify someone. The moment she saw her, she shouted her name: ‘Amina, Amina!’ She gave her the biggest hug ever, as if they were going to roll on the ground, we had to stabilise them.

“The mother called the attention of other relations to come out and see what is happening. The girl started comforting the mother, saying: ‘Please Mum, take it easy, relax. I never thought I would ever see you again, wipe your tears. God has made it possible for us to see each other again.’

“Afterwards, we had to make them understand that the girl would not be left in their care. She must be handed over to the authority.”

Shettima said yesterday in Maiduguri: “I have got reports that one of the Chibok girls has been found by some vigilante around the Sambisa Forest.

“I don’t want to be misquoted because I have not been officially informed nor has the story been officially confirmed.

“But if this is true, we are happy about the news because for us even if it is one out of the 200, it is still a sign of hope that the girls are alive and from the location she was found, it can give our security a good lead to where the girls are held,” Shettima said.

He spoke while hosting the United Nations (UN) Under Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. Steve O’Brian and the Netherlands Ambassador in Nigeria, Mr. John Groffen, at the Government House in Maiduguri.

The military in a statement by its spokesman Col. Sani Usman, also confirmed that the girl was among the rescued people in Baale village near Damboa.

The statement said: “This is to confirm that one of the abducted Chibok school girls, Falmata Mbalala, was among the rescued persons by our troops at Baale near Damboa.” The military later corrected the name.

A statement by Sesugh Akume, spokesperson of the #BringBcakOurGirls (#BBOG) advocacy, identified Amina as one of the missing girls on its list.

The group said her name is listed as number 127 in the list of 219 girls abducted by Boko Haram in Government Secondary School, Chibok.

The group said: “One of our abducted Chibok girls, Amina Ali Darsha Nkeki from Mbalala, has been found in Kulakaisa area at the fringes of Sambisa Forest by vigilantes from Chibok on patrol last night.

“Her name is #127 on our list of 219 missing Chibok girls attached.

“According to the Chairman of the Chibok Girls Parents Association, Mr. Yakubu Nkeki, Amina Ali was found alongside her child of about a year old. She identified the vice principal of her school, GSS Chibok, as well as spoke with her mother.

“She provided useful information that her other classmates are still held under heavy terrorist captivity in the Sambisa forest area.

“She has been handed over by the vigilantes to Nigerian troops at Damboa who helped with facilitating the verification of her identity.

“We await official confirmation from the military and the Nigerian government.”

 

Source: The Nation