A visibly angry President Muhammadu Buhari reportedly stormed out of his meeting with the parents of the abducted Chibok school girls at the State House.
The Bring Back Our Girls Group (BBOG), which has been in the forefront of keeping the issue alive in the media, staged a mega-rally to Aso Rock to meet with Buhari Thursday, January 14, 2015. The group, had some parents of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls, marched towards the Presidential Villa but were met by a team which consisted of the Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Al-Hassan, as well as the Minister of Defense, Monsur Dan-Ali, the National Security Adviser, Mohammed Monguno, and the Chief of Defense Staff, Abayomi Olonishakin.
After meeting resistance from security at the Presidency and being told that the President would not meet with them, the group insisted on meeting with Buhari and he eventually agreed to meet with them. The meeting, ended on a bitter note as Buhari walked out on them after coldly telling the Chibok parents that he didn’t know where their children are.
SCROLL TO END OF STORY TO VIEW FULL GALLERY
Speaking on behalf of the group was former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, who said they had come to see the President as regards the promise he made to them during their initial visit on Wednesday, July 8, 2015.
The first thing Buhari did as he walked into the Banquet Hall at the Presidential Villa was to order all journalists out of the meeting. President spokesman, Garba Shehu communicated this despotic decision to the press in the hall. The reasons given was because “sensitive issues” were to be discussed. A group of journalists present were marched out of the hall in quick steps.
Participants at the event took to social media website, Twitter to tell the story of what happened in the closed-door meeting. They report that Buhari was angry throughout the meeting and ended up storming out of the hall.
See their accounts below:
#BBOGReengagesPMB: @MBuhari was visibly angry. He spoke in English & Hausa. Stormed out of the hall. No pictures or time spent with parents.
— EiE Nigeria (@EiENigeria) January 14, 2016
Mr @mbuhari flanked by Minister of Defense & NSA.#BBOGEngagesPMB pic.twitter.com/1eZ5SnFaK8
— EiE Nigeria (@EiENigeria) January 14, 2016
He stood up & left stone cold! He missed a golden chance to elevate himself in the hearts & minds of d #ChibokParents. #BringBackOurGirls
— #Citizen ✊🏼 Olatunji (@tunjibaruwa) January 14, 2016
Esther, a parent, said "no matter what conditions our daughters are in; we want them like that!"#BBOGReengagesPMB pic.twitter.com/dHxrwRHqyB
— EiE Nigeria (@EiENigeria) January 14, 2016
PMB @NGRPresident walked out of the Banquet Hall with no glance at parents shell shocked . No empathy. No connection. Just coldness
— Aisha Yesufu (@AishaYesufu) January 15, 2016
When PMB @NGRPresident had finished he let go of the mike and it dropped with a small bang on the table. He stood up and strode away
— Aisha Yesufu (@AishaYesufu) January 15, 2016
PMB @NGRPresident was upset and ended up being defensive instead of being in charge and reassuring and for the first time I saw an old man
— Aisha Yesufu (@AishaYesufu) January 15, 2016
Mr @MBuhari missed a golden opportunity to connect 'emotionally' with the #ChibokParents. #BBOGReengagesPMB
The demand continues…— EiE Nigeria (@EiENigeria) January 14, 2016
".@MBuhari doesn't understand the magnitude of #ChibokParents & community members SELF-FUNDING their trip to Abuja." – @BukkyShonibare
— EiE Nigeria (@EiENigeria) January 14, 2016
.@BBOG_Nigeria's #FOI request for the report of the fact-finding committee on the #Chibok abduction & the insurgency has been declined.
— EiE Nigeria (@EiENigeria) January 14, 2016
.@BBOG_Nigeria's #FOI request for the report of the fact-finding committee on the #Chibok abduction & the insurgency has been declined.
— EiE Nigeria (@EiENigeria) January 14, 2016
#BBOGReengagesPMB: The mood & tone of the July 8th meeting was much warmer than today's meeting. @MBuhari was cold. #BringBackOurGirls
— EiE Nigeria (@EiENigeria) January 14, 2016
The press is asked to exit the hall.
All recording gadgets to be switched off… hard to control.#BBOGReengagesPMB— EiE Nigeria (@EiENigeria) January 14, 2016
Mr President came in angry & left angry, closing his rather un-empathetic diatribe with "Thank for coming to see me" to d #ChibokParents
— #Citizen ✊🏼 Olatunji (@tunjibaruwa) January 14, 2016
Everything that happened in the Villa today between the #ChibokParents and PMB is a MasterClass in "HOW NOT TO BE A LEADER"! Gosh!!!
— #Citizen ✊🏼 Olatunji (@tunjibaruwa) January 14, 2016
He wasn't only unemotional, he very well was downright petty! Integrity alone cannot be your only offering to a nation in surviving calamity
— #Citizen ✊🏼 Olatunji (@tunjibaruwa) January 14, 2016
I stand to be controverted @MBuhari does not get it!!
— #Citizen ✊🏼 Olatunji (@tunjibaruwa) January 14, 2016
Whatever happened at our meeting today with @MBuhari, we are making it clear today that we are not giving up on our ChibokGirls-@obyezeks
— Ms Baryat #EndSARs #EndPoliceBrutality #ReformNige (@MKabrik) January 14, 2016
The President felt we have not commended him enough and was not able to see clearly what we had written& read out in our statement-@obyezeks
— Ms Baryat #EndSARs #EndPoliceBrutality #ReformNige (@MKabrik) January 14, 2016
I feel very sorry for anyone who is transacting over the issue of ChibokGirls. We have always spoken openly at the UnityFountain –@obyezeks
— Ms Baryat #EndSARs #EndPoliceBrutality #ReformNige (@MKabrik) January 14, 2016
Yes the past government did a lot of damage & made it hard to rescue the girls, you are there now @MBuhari the problem.#BBOGReengagesPMB
— Ms Baryat #EndSARs #EndPoliceBrutality #ReformNige (@MKabrik) January 14, 2016
Today all I heard from PMB @NGRPresident is about himself and what he was doing and achieved and not what the parents were going through
— Aisha Yesufu (@AishaYesufu) January 15, 2016
As PMB @NGRPresident strode away there was no OBJ to tell him to go meet the parents as he told him to greet guests during the inauguration
— Aisha Yesufu (@AishaYesufu) January 15, 2016
There was also talk about CBN Governor. Can't remember now and I thought what's #ChibokParents business with that. Do they even know CBN?
— Aisha Yesufu (@AishaYesufu) January 15, 2016
PMB said he thinks about the #ChibokGirls sleeping & waking. #ChibokGirls are on his mind all the time
THE VOICE &BODY LANGUAGE DIDN'T JELL— Aisha Yesufu (@AishaYesufu) January 15, 2016
PMB @NGRPresident also said he was doing his best and if people can't see it too bad (paraphrase)
And he sounded so much like Gej
— Aisha Yesufu (@AishaYesufu) January 15, 2016
Ehhen PMB @NGRPresident also said some pple because they are good public speakers they are always out there
In my mind I said NO VEX NA GOD— Aisha Yesufu (@AishaYesufu) January 15, 2016
It's okay to be tired and exhausted. Almost 21 months and now a govt defensive and on the group instead of on rescue https://t.co/RlkBuDnfvr
— Aisha Yesufu (@AishaYesufu) January 15, 2016
PMB never complained 2015 budget wasn't by him so he won't spend the money so shouldn't complain of #ChibokGirls abduction during last govt
— Aisha Yesufu (@AishaYesufu) January 15, 2016
I left the meeting with the President resolved to keep demanding for our #ChibokGirls#BringBackOurGirls NOW & ALIVE #NeverToBeForgotten
— Aisha Yesufu (@AishaYesufu) January 15, 2016
