54 girls in B’Haram video identified as abducted pupils

Some of the girls in the video

No fewer than 54 of the girls shown in the video released on Monday by Boko Haram  have been identified by their parents.

The video was shown to the parents, pupils and teachers of the Government  Secondary School, Chibok, security men and some officials of the Borno State Governmentat in the Government House, Maiduguri on Tuesday.

Isa Gusau,  Special Adviser to Governor Kashim Shettima on Communications, however, explained  in a statement  that  the  names  were  “currently being compared with school records as well as  the ones  published some days back to ensure accuracy.”

“The exercise continues at the Government House and it is hoped that more names will be established by parents, students and teachers as well as management of the affected school,”  Gusau added.

The statement reads in part, “Governor  Shettima has confirmed that the young girls shown in a video released by Boko Haram   are part of  the schoolgirls abducted at the Government Secondary School, Chibok following a night attack on April 14, 2014.

“Fifty four of the girls  in  the video have been identified by their names at an exercise that involved some parents of the girls, fellow students that include those that escaped  the  abduction, some teachers, security men and some officials of the state government led by the Chief of Staff to the Government House,Abubakar Kyari.

“The parents and students were conveyed to the Government House in Maiduguri to make for an open identification.

 “Governor Shettima announced this in Abuja today during a press briefing held after a peaceful procession by a coalition of civil society bodies and activists under the Bring Back Our Girls initiative in Abuja.

 “Shettima said the figures of those identified by their names were climbing as the exercise went on at the Government House in Maiduguri. He was briefed every 30 minutes. Initially, while he was addressing the BBOG group, 36 names had been identified but before his press briefing an hour later, the number had climbed to 54 which he then told journalists.

 “He had on Monday  directed the identification to be conducted. The Chairman of Chibok Local Government Area  and other government officials were made to mass produce the video.

“But after the exercise in Chibok, Governor Shettima directed for another round of verification to be conducted at the Government House in order to cross-check findings so as not to mislead the public.

“The second exercise confirmed the preliminary exercise in Chibok.”

 Before the statement, Reuter said one of the parents     had    identified her daughter in  the  video.

It quoted the Chairman of the Parent-Teacher Association  of the school, Dumoma Mpur, as saying that the   woman   watched the video on television on Monday evening and spotted her daughter among the girls sitting on the ground and wearing veils.

 “The video got parents apprehensive again after watching it but the various steps taken by the governments and the coming of the foreign troops are  boosting our spirit, even though I have not seen  even  one soldier in Chibok yet,” Mpur  said.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria,  Mr. Femi Falana(SAN),   also  said that some of the  parents  had  identified their  children in the video.

Falana, who   addressed members of the National Conference Committee on Civil Society, Labour, Youths and Sports   in Abuja on Tuesday,  said,  “Some parents that   we have spoken with said that  they have watched the video and have been able to identify their children.”

 List of Identified Girls

1. Agnes Gafane
2. Saraya Stober
3. Hauwa Bitrus
4. Hajara Isa
5. Na’omi Philimun
6. Hauwa Abdu (1st Speaking)
7. Magret Yama
8. Shitta Abdu
9. Jummai Muta
10. Ladi Paul
11. Roda Peter
12. Filo Dauda
13. Godiya Bitrus
14. Saratu Tauji (2nd Speaking)
15. Ross Daniel
16. Hauwa Ali
17. Hajara Isa (Amira 3rd Speaking)
18. Luba Afga
19. Na’omi Luka
20. Saraya Emos Ali
21. Bilkisu Abdullahi
22. Mairama Ali
23. Maryam Ali Maiyanga
24. Dabora Abbas
25. Kabu Mala
26. Halima Ali
27. Yana Bukar
28. Solomi Pugu
29. Lydia Emmar
30. Luba Sanda
31. Saraya Samuel
32. Comfort Habila
33. Rejoice Shanki
34. Gloria Yaga
35. Mary Nkeki
36. Moda Baba
37. Hauwa Isuwa
38. Patient Jacob
39. Ladi Jajel
40. Abigel Bukar
41. Fanta Lawan
42. Zainabu Yaga
43. Aisha Lawan Zanna
44. Dokas Yakubu
45. Kabu Mala
46. Maryama Bashir
47. Hauwa M. Maina
48. Mary  G. Dauda
49. Susana Yakubu
50. Maryam Abbas
51. Laraba John
52. Hanatu Nuhu
53. Na’ omi Bukar
54. Rifkatu Galang