text: Chibok girls: senators join Abuja protesters - The Nation Nigeria
  Chibok girls: senators join Abuja protesters
  •'Insurgents installed new emir in Bama'
  TWO senators from Borno, Mohammed Ali Ndume and Senator Khalifa Ahmed Zanna, joined the #BringBackOurGirls protesters yesterday, calling on Nigerians not to make the mistake of returning the government of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.
  The senators, who spoke yesterday in Abuja during the sit-out of members of the advocacy group, said if Nigerians do, the country would not be able to survive.
  The senators said the government was allergic to the truth and criticism.
  They accused the administration of telling lies about doing everything to bring back the Chibok girls, revealing that the insurgents have installed an emir in Bama.
  But the government, according to them, has never taken any action about the girls and was only misleading Nigerians.
  They promised to join the protesters until the government takes up its responsibilities of securing the lives and property of its citizens.
  Ndume and Zanna said the group, which has been sitting out for over 139 days in protest of the abduction of the over 200 girls from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, comprised of honest Nigerians.
  Zanna's words: "In the history if Nigeria, we have never had a more irresponsible government like the one we have now. When this incident happened, they played politics first before action. I have never seen any action being taken by the government on these girls.
  "I did my own investigations and whenever I say anything, it will be the truth and nothing but the truth. I don't know where we are going to place this government in the history of Nigeria or Africa. If they say that the #BringBackOurGirls are from the opposition, I am not from the opposition; I am a PDP senator. To me, party is secondary. If my party is not doing the right thing, I will come out and say it.
  "How on earth, for 155 days, that the daughters of some people are taken by some rascals and the government is doing nothing about it. They are now even allowing them to pick more and more. Instead of 200, maybe there are even 3,000 or 4,000 with them (Boko Haram members). Because within the last one week, in Bama alone, they might have taken 500 or 1,000."
  The senator said the insurgents were now taking other people's wives, adding that when the women complained that they were married, the militants would say that they were married to infidels.
  He added: "I don't know what religion they are practicing. These are pure criminals and being supported by somebody who is supposed to protect us; that is the basic truth.
  "If care is not taken, this thing will continue. It will not end in Borno, Yobe or the Northeast alone. According to my own analysis, it will continue beyond. It is just a matter of time and if Nigerians make the mistake of brining this government back, I am afraid, we are not going to survive in this country. The truth must be told because what I am seeing, maybe some of you don't see.
  "Today, according to my own investigation, an emir is being installed in Bama. What will be their mission again? They are trying to attack Maiduguri and all this intelligence are being relayed to the intelligence headquarters. If they don't take action, then it is their own problem, their own fault; not ours. Any information we get, we relate.
  "If the world has a conscience, they must come to the rescue of Nigerians. We are in a very deep trouble. This is not only affecting Muslims, but including Christians and those who don't have religion.
  "What they are after is just to destroy Nigeria and they are using the Boko Haram to do it. What was Boko Haram three years ago? Two and half years ago, I asked the military to leave Maiduguri because I observed what they were doing.
  "They did not take it likely, they went and ransacked my house and brought out my family unto the street and humiliated them. And not stopping there, they went and arrested the boy they claimed was a high profile Boko Haram commander in their mentor's house – that is Sheriff's house. But they came out to claim that he was arrested in my house. I came out and told them that they are lying and up to today, they cannot prove that they arrested that man in my house."
  Ndume, in his own speech, said: "I want to tell you that we in the National Assembly, and particularly I can speak for myself and Zanna, we would do our best and we are open to your suggestions and criticism because we believe that this your cause is because you only want the girls back and alive.
  "The National Assembly, especially the members from the Northeast, we are trying to stay away because one of the things that is now common with the government is to say that anything that one does is opposition sponsored. This government is so allergic to criticism that anything you do is opposition.
  "Why we came here today is to join you in pushing and making the government to bring back our girls now and alive; we are with you."