Report on CCEPI visit to Chibok on May 6

The following reports on a visit to Chibok, the town in Nigeria from which the schoolgirls were kidnapped, made by Rebecca Dali and the staff of CCEPI. The Center for Caring, Empowerment, and Peace Initiatives was begun by Dali, wife of President Samuel Dante Dali of the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria (Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria or EYN). CCEPI has the mission of providing care for women and children affected by the violence in Nigeria, in particular orphans, and refugees who are fleeing to neighboring Cameroon or displaced within Nigeria. The report is presented as received, with no editing, in pdf format at www.brethren.org/partners/nigeria/may-6-report.pdf .

REPORT ON CCEPI VISIT TO CHIBOK ON 6TH MAY, 2014

INTRODUCTON

Centre for Caring Empowerment and Peace Initiative (CCEPI) who has been improving the wellbeing of orphans, vulnerable children, widows, displaced people, refugees etc. in many states and the neighboring country (Cameroun).

On the 6th May, 2014 CCEPI was able to show her concern by visiting Chibok people whose girls were abducted by BokkoHarram.

CCEPI carried along with some relief materials (cloths, soap, buckets and cups) for those whose houses/properties were burnt in the incident.

CCEPI’S MEETING AT EYN NO. 1WITH THE WOMEN WHO’S GIRLS WERE ABDUCTED

At about 10:00 am, CCEPI team arrived Chibok and met women leader of Chibok. The women were organized in the EYN No. 1 Church Chibok. The women appeared in women fellowship uniform with black tie showing their grievances.

The women leader introduced the CCEPI team and two other women from EYN Headquarters. The CCEPI Executive Director gave them word of encouragement from the Holy Bible, with tears in eyes for she could not withstand their presence.

The other two women also gave words of encouragement and finally the former EYN president greeted them, hence a closing prayer.

Pictures were taken with the women and those whose house/properties were burnt were given some cloths, soap, and cups/bucket. Data were collected, the list of abducted girls.

CCEPI VISIT TO EYN NO. 2

Again women were organized at EYN No. 2. The CCEPI team after leaving EYN No1 at about 1:00Pm came down to EYN No 2, where all the women appeared in black attire. The CCEPI Executive Director introduced CCEPI team and said out the purpose of visit, that was to show concern of what happened.

CCEPI Executive Director asked some of the women how the incident happen, a woman said in tear that ‘such has never happened it was terrible, we can’t sleep not to talk of dreaming about these girls’ she could not continue.

A man was interviewed and he said that ‘Government is not doing anything about it’ so he urged Federal Government to bring their girls because they are the leaders of tomorrow.

List of the abducted girls was taken.
 
CCEPI VISIT TO GSS CHIBOK

One of the people interviewed, is a staff of the school, directed CCEPI team to the school, show CCEPI destructions caused by these terrorists along with a girl who escaped.

CCEPI Executive Director asked him how he was able to escape. He said ‘well I was in my quarters and my children when we heard a gun shut; my children were very scared so I ran away with them over the fence and we escaped to the bush. When I come back in the morning, I saw my car/house burnt and all my neighbors’ quarters were set ablaze.

The girl was asked how it happened as CCEPI team and other people were going round the school. The girl said, ‘they came in mass over 50, distributed themselves into groups, some were setting the school ablaze. The ones that met us in the hostel told us not to run, they appeared in military uniform. They said all of us should enter car (many cars, big) in order to rescue us. We entered; they were taking us toward Sambisa forest. I and my friend decided to dump down the car and God so kind, we hide in grass those coming from behind did not see us. That is how we escaped. Some came two day after, but many are still there with them.’
 
CCEPI DISTRIBUTED MATERIALS TO MILLITARY MEN

Toward evening as CCEPI was coming back home, she discover that barrack was set ablaze. Said by the Mobile Police met with CCEPI team.

CCEPI now gave them buckets, cups, cloths and soap. According to them, they are also victims, they are not properly armed as those people so all their cloths were burnt.

Finally CCEPI Executive Director encouraged them.

Source: 5/13/2014 Newsline