How Jonathan’s alleged N22.4m was sheared – Chibok leaders

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The officials of Kibaku Area Development Association (KADA) have explained how the alleged N22.4 million solidarity token from President Goodluck Jonathan was sheared among the fifty one escaped girls and the parents of the abducted young ladies.

In a press statement, issued by Dauda Ilya, who is the spokesperson of Chibok Community, otherwise known as KADA, he said “On the night of July 22, at about midnight, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Duties, who had been co-ordinating the visit on the side of the Presidency, visited the hotel.

“He told the 51 escaped girls who came that the Presidency sent them a token of N100,000 each and accordingly, gave them the said sum without prior discussion with any KADA official or any other person in the community.

“He equally gave the sum of N200, 000 each to 61 parents, out of the 122 parents that came on the visit. 51 Parents were given N100, 000 each, on the basis that the money given to him was not enough to go round at N200,000. The remaining 10 parents were not given any amount of money.

“As for the money given to some parents back home in Chibok, it was the sum of N1,000,000.00 given to them by the Hon. Member of the House of Reps representing Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency, which is the source of the alleged N7,000 given to parents in Chibok that were not part of the visit.

Iliya said, while KADA acknowledges that any well intended support for their suffering population, which has lost means of livelihood since the events of April 14 and subsequent attacks could be welcome, however, the approach that the Presidency adopted has brought reproach and dishonor to our community in the eyes of the public.

“We hereby state categorically that no amount of money whatsoever was given to KADA leadership to share among the parents and escaped girls or for whatever reason and therefore, the allegation is completely baseless, false and malicious to say the least”, the statement said.

He therefore regretted the recent information circulating in the media over alleged receipt of money by the leadership of KADA from the Presidency, saying the claim is completely false, malicious and unfounded.

“Our primary priority has and remains the rescue of our abducted 219 daughters. Our Association has been at the forefront of calling for decisive measures to secure their release”, the community leaders said.