Confusions trail ‘newly rescued Chibok girl’

Confusions have continued to trail the reported rescue of second Chibok girl by the military on Thursday.

The first controversy has to do with the identity of the girl.

The name Serah Luka with no 157 as given by the Army Spokesman, Col. Sani Usman, was different from the one found on the comprehensive Chibok girls’ list.

On the list, one Ruth Lawan was listed as no 157.

The second controversy came from account of events at the school and the rescued girl’s class at the time of the incident.

Available records showed that only JSS 3 and SS 3 students were in the school writing their various examinations when Boko Haram militants stormed the school and took them away.

But the military in a statement said Serah Luka was a JSS 1 student who had been in school for just two months before her abduction.

Less than 24 hours after Amina Ali was rescued, flown to Abuja and handed over to President Muhammadu Buhari, the military claimed that a second girl from the list of the abducted girls has been rescued by troops.

The Army spokesman in a statement issued on Thursday night said one Miss Serah Lukan, daughter of a pastor was among the 97 women rescued during an operation by troops of 231 Battalion, 331 Artillery Regiment (AR), Detachment of Armed Forces Special Forces (AFSF) 2, Explosive Ordinance (EOD) Team and Vigilante Group of Buratai.

The statement also informed that 35 Boko Haram members were killed during the operation.

The statement reads; “At about 11: 00am today, Thursday, 19th May 2016, troops of 231 Battalion, 331 Artillery Regiment (AR), Detachment of Armed Forces Special Forces (AFSF) 2, Explosive Ordinance (EOD) Team and Civilian Vigilante group of Buratai, conducted clearance operations at Shettima Aboh, Hong and Biladdili general area in Damboa local government area of Borno State.

“During the operations, the troops killed 35 Boko Haram terrorists and recovered several arms and ammunitions and other items.

“In addition, they rescued 97 women and children held captives by the Boko Haram terrorists. We are glad to state that among those rescued is a girl believed to be one of the  Chibok Government Secondary School girls that were abducted on 14th April 2014 by the Boko Haram terrorists.

“Her name is Miss Serah Luka, who is number 157 on the list of the abducted school girls. She is believed to be the daughter of Pastor Luka.”