Photograph — qz.com

“We are happy that they are there studying. But from the information we are hearing of late, it seemed they are not really studying in schools as we assumed. We understand that they are being used for show business where they would be taken to places for them to narrate how they escaped Boko Haram captivity, and then afterwards they will be given money. That was not what we wanted for our children,” said Mr Paul Ali Maiva, a parent of one of the rescued Chibok girls that were supposedly flown abroad to get an education.

This was last September at a press briefing organised by the Minister of Women Affairs, Aishatu Alhassan, in Maiduguri, Borno state. According to Ms Alhassan, the girls who were being exploited got tired of the “showbiz” and started complaining, “The girls became fed up and started complaining that they were taken to the U.S. on an arrangement that they were going to get an education. But unfortunately, they were not allowed to remain in school.”

Recently, the guardian in question, Emmanuel Ogebe, a Nigerian lawyer and welfare campaigner based in the United States filed a five million dollar lawsuit against the Nigerian government for libel and defamation of character. As reported by Premium Times, Mr Ogebe who took 10 rescued Chibok girls to study in the United States three years ago stated in his lawsuit that the government conducted a malicious campaign to tarnish his image by accusing him of exploiting his position as guardian of the rescued girls to extort money from donors.

In May 2016, Mr Ogebe had his right as custodian of the girls revoked by the federal government without an explanation as to why that decision was reached. Although names were not mentioned, the reason for his dismissal became clear at the press briefing in Maiduguri last September. According to reports, Mr Ogebe says he deserves nothing but praise for his benevolence towards the girls. And asks that in addition to the five million dollar compensation, an apology by the government should be published in major newspaper publications across Nigeria.

Elsewhere on Ventures

Triangle arrow