President Jonathan’s alleged N100million largesse tears Chibok parents, leaders apart
An alleged N100million cash gift given to parents of abducted Chibok girls by President Goodluck Jonathan after a meeting at the Presidential villa on July 22 according to BBC Hausa report has sparked disagreement between some of the parents and leaders of the Chibok community in Abuja.
The report said some parents are alleging that they were shortchanged from the funds released to their leaders.
BBC stated that one parent, who was among those who visited the president, told BBC’s reporter that he got only N200,000.
“I got only N200,000 out of the said N100million allegedly received by our leaders in Abuja. Some of us got N300,000 and some less than that,” he said.
The parent said further that he was not comfortable with the way the money was shared among the parents of the kidnapped girls and that he was shortchanged.
“Our leaders in Abuja are using the girls to enrich themselves. In fact, some of the parents were screened out of the entourage by the Chibok leaders in Abuja. Many of them are residents of Abuja, not parents of the kidnapped girls,” he said.
Another parent, who was screened out of the delegation that visited the president, it was reported said he got only N7,000 out of the money shared.
“I was at the farm when they brought the N7, 000 to my house and I collected it. Some of us got even less, N300 and below,” he said.
The parents stressed that they were not selling their daughters and that the money from the President just came to them without their asking for or expecting it.
Hon. Pobu Bitrus, a member of the House of Representatives, who was at the meeting with the president told BBC that after meeting with the president, monies were distributed to the parents in envelopes.
“After we met with the presidency, the parents were given monies in envelopes and that’s all. All other things they are saying about N100million, I don’t know about that.”
President Jonathan had at the meeting with the parents of ladies who escaped among the abducted Chibok school girls dolled out N100m which is now causing ripples.