Some parents of returned Dapchi school girls, earlier abducted by Boko Haram terrorists, have accused the leadership of their parents’ association of turning their daughters’ misfortune into a profit-making venture.
The parents made this accusation in a telephone interview with DAILY POST correspondent, where they also alleged that the leadership of the association are being selective in the distribution of relief materials whenever such come their way.
Usman Saleh Gashua, who is the father of Maryam Usman, one of the returned girls, said, “We heard that recently, the Presidential Committee for the Northeast Initiative (PCNI) has given the parents’ association food and non-food items for onward distribution to us but I didn’t receive anything till the present day.
“When I contacted the chairman of the association about our own share. He said the materials were meant for the parents of the girls residing in Dapchi town only”.
The father of the 22-years-old JSS 1 student disclosed that he deliberately refused to re-enroll his daughter to the school after their return because of the fear of some unscrupolous individuals who are opportunistic to use his daughter in order to enrich themselves.
“I was approached to return my daughter back to the school, but I refused. Because some are using them for their personal gains,” he claimed.
“Even when Yobe-Turkish College had announced that all the girls should come for scholarship examination, but nobody called me inform me about the development, only to learn that the exam was conducted,” he added.
Another parent, Nasiru Ibrahim from Girim village and father of Rabi Nasiru also made similar allegation, stating that he has benefited once from the PCNI’s gesture where he was given some relief materials.
“I was given three measures of rice, two measures of millet, five bottles of cooking oil and a small bag of corn flour. That is what came to me and I have to accept it.”
He described those who are using the parents’ association to make money as mindless persons whose actions are for selfish interest.
“When our daughters were returned, I expect the federal government to take charge of their welfare for a time being, because as I can tell you my daughter’s behaviour has charged. She needs psychosocial support,” he pointed out.
Ibrahim further said he was compelled to return Rabi to GGSTC Dapchi because her manners have change so that she might get support there.
Responding to the allegations, chairman of the association of parents of Dapchi schoolgirls, Bashir Manzo denied any knowledge of misconduct by members of the association.
“I will be interested if an investigation will unmask those behind the said wrongdoings by the some parents of the girls”.
On Yobe-Turkish college scholarship, Manzo said it was the management of the college that conducted the examination.
“It was the official from the Turkish college that came to GGSTC Dapchi that conducted the exam where selected only 20 successfull, excluding my own daughter,” he said.
He challenged the aggrieved members of the association to prove their claims.
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