Popular Nigerian cleric, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has stated that the whole nation has failed the abducted Chibok girls, owing to the attitude shown by Nigerians towards the BringBackOurGirls campaign, in recent times, particularly since the Muhammadu Buhari administration took office in May 2015.

Bakare spoke yesterday on ‘The role of the church in ending insurgency in Nigeria’, at the Global Week of Action in Commemoration of 2 Years in Captivity of the Chibok Girls, held at the Unity Fountain, Abuja. He promised that the group advocating for the recovery of the children will not relent in its efforts until the Federal Government fulfils its promises on the situation which is now over two years.

In his words, “Until the chapter is closed and this matter is resolved, we shall not lose hope. Just like Oby Ezekwesili gets knocked down daily but still charges on, so shall we too. It is just like the parable of the lost child whom his father never gave up. We will never give up.”

“It is better to tell me that my child is dead than my child is lost. I am here as a father burdened by the captivity of our Chibok girls,” Bakare added.

He maintained that “no citizen is important until all and except all citizens are important.”

Mrs Oby Ezekwezili, one of the leaders of the group, said she believes that the children are still alive and they can be rescued. She said: “Pledge is a pledge. Our President should fulfil his promises.”

While contributing to the talk, an advocate participant argued that “for the people who say we are mad, yes we are, but in a positive way. I always run away from speaking but cannot run from this, because it has been the saddest time in our history.”

Another participant in his contribution lamented the opinion in the public that the girls were not truly abducted, arguing that “as I stand here to talk, 23 of my cousins were abducted. So, to find people saying the abduction is a scam is disheartening.”

•Photo by Mayowa Okekale shows Pastor Bakare speaking yesterday at the Global Week of Action in Commemoration of 2 Years in Captivity of the Chibok Girls, held at the Unity Fountain, Abuja.