The girls, who were barred from talking to the media, literally escaped from the lion’s den and were sneaked into Lagos, accompanied by 21 of the mothers of their mates still being held hostage by the sect.
The visit was facilitated by three non-governmental organisations: Omoluabi Network, Unlikely Heroes and Gabassawa Women.
The escapee girls, who were dressed in flowing gowns, with hijabs, looked harassed and afraid yesterday, and could not utter a word.
Speaking to Daily Sun, one of the mothers of the Chibok girls, who pleaded anonymity for fear of being marked down, said that even if her daughter comes back to her, she would never be the same again.
She regretted the psychological trauma of missing one’s daughter and bemoaned the girls’ ordeal in the hands of Boko Haram, while stating that the dream of her daughter was to become a medical doctor.
”Her dream has always been to be a doctor. She used to say that she helps me in the farm to ensure that I would have enough money to train her as a doctor in the university,” she said.
Another mother of the Chibok girls, who also pleaded anonymity, said her world collapsed the day she heard of the abduction of her daughter.
She described her daughter, who earlier had premonition of the abduction, as a humble and gentle child who always comforted her.
She said: “Normally, she would tell me that she is going to school and so after telling me she was going to school, I did not see her again. She is a nice and obedient girl. She will be 16 years this June. I have five children and she is my first child. My prayer, since I gave birth to her, has been that one day, my daughter would go to school and God made it to be so. When she started Form One, I was very happy.
“They have been encouraging us as mothers that we should try and train our children in school. I wanted her to go to the city, but she said no, because they are kidnapping people there. She said, ‘ I do not want to go to Maiduguri’ and that she would stay in Chibok. She said one day, it may be us. I was not happy because I wanted her to go to Maiduguri, but her father said he wanted her to stay in Chibok.
“You know the father is an orphan and he grew up with his grandmother. And so, he likes that girl so much. I now said he would not go to Maiduguri because if anything happened her father would not be happy with me. I wanted the best for her and anything she wanted, I gave to her. But unfortunately, that April 14 that the thing happened, my hope was dashed. The day my daughter was kidnapped, I felt like killing myself and disappearing from the world. Honestly, I miss my daughter. I miss her so much, but I pray that one day, the Almighty God would open heaven and send down His glory. I have the hope that I will see my daughter one day.
“Any time I am upset, she comforts me, but now, no comfort. It is only the mercy of God. Those that said that the girls were not abducted, if I see them I would ask them whether they are mothers. I would talk to them the way I am talking to you. If I see them, I would know what to tell them. If they are mothers, I would know whether they do not know the pain of missing a daughter. If they are fathers, I would also ask them whether they know the pain of missing their children. What kind of mother would I be to collaborate with a person I do not know to say that my daughter is missing? Is it because I want to spoil someone’s political career that I would say that my daughter was abducted, when she was not? What sort of mother am I to say that my daughter is kidnapped when she is not kidnapped? Where is she?
“I am pleading to the government to help. We, mothers of those girls are in real pains. Those of us you see here are better than those that are not here. Some of us are already having psychological problems, calling their daughters day and night, but unfortunately, their daughters are nowhere to be found.
“Some of the mothers of those girls do not eat. They are suffering internally and physically. Some of them are living in the village; they did not go to school and they want their daughters back. This is the seventh week; if really they are working, today two girls would come and tomorrow, two would come. That would tell you that they are working.”
“As far as I am concerned, I do not think the government is really working the way I expect. If they are working, we would have seen something to show that they are really working. All what we are hearing is that it is not true and that the girls were not abducted. How about the school that they burnt down? Many people in Chibok went to the school.”
“Women farm in the rainy season. Some are into petty trading to make sure they train the children. The mothers are the ones suffering to train their girls. You know the men. Some have two wives, many children and they do not care about training their children. We the mothers give up our lives to make sure that our children grow up to be educated.”
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