On Thursday, October 13, Nigerians received great news that 21 Chibok girls were released by the Boko Haram insurgents.

More than 200 girls were kidnapped from their schools in Chibok, Borno state in April 2014. Some managed to escape, some have been reported dead while others are still in captivity.

The news of the release of 21 of the girls got so many Nigerians praising the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Many have been reacting to the good news.

However, the former president Goodluck Jonathan is yet to issue any statement on the release of the girls.

Recall that the girls were kidnapped during his administration and all efforts to rescue them from their abductors proved abortive.

Here are seven reasons why Jonathan may have decided to stay silent on the 21 Chibok girls release.


1. Shame
The former president may be ashamed that what he could not achieve during his tenure, his successor has achieved. During his tenure, he could not bring back the girls, despite all the efforts made. President Muhammdu Buhari even used the Chibok girls to campaign, which may be why some people voted for him. Jonathan’s inability to conquer Boko Haram and rescue the abducted girls may be one of the reasons he lost the 2015 presidential election.

The Minister of Information warned about comments on social media that will jeopardize the government's efforts in securing the release of others.

Don't let me give you 21 reasons why he wont say anything

2. He may be accepting that he was clueless
During Jonathan’s administration, he was given all sorts of names. Many called him a clueless president who did not know how to combat Boko Haram insurgency and rescue the kidnapped Chibok girls. Till he left office, no headway was made in reuniting the girls with their family.

Congratulating his successor on the release of some of the girls may be interpreted as him accepting that he was clueless on how to rescue the Chibok girls.

Put your points in one post OP.

The whole thing was stage managed...

3. He may be exposing himself as a weak leader
Many still adore the former president and see him as a hero for conceding defeat after losing the March 28 presidential election. If he speaks about the release of the 21 Chibok girls, some might see it as him accepting that he was a weak leader which was one of the reasons some people voted him out.

lols..... oga GEJ they watch you OP

4. Maybe he is waiting for his party, the PDP to say something
The opposition is always quick to criticize Buhari’s administration. It’s more than 24 hours since news of the girls rescue surfaced and the party has kept mute. It is yet to release a statement which is quite unusual.

Hw dumb cn ur posts be?

Gej is keeping quiet because the real truth will soon exonerate him...

It's too early..

My own is I want to see the idiots that would say Niger delta agitators should not be negotiated with...thunder go fire that person mouth...

The man doesn't want Nigerians to swear for him

5. Maybe he believes it’s a hoax
When the girls were kidnapped, Jonathan who was president at the time, played down the incident. The former president had doubts. Some of his close associates may have told him that it was a plot by his political enemies who don’t want him to return as president. So, the abduction story was dismissed initially until it started gaining recognition with the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. It was when it sparked global outrage that Jonathan’s administration started to show interest.

Some people believe the release of the 21 Chibok girls is just another lie by the Buhari-led federal government. One of such people is Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state who described the report as, “Propaganda, cheap lies and diversionary tactics”.

Just like Fayose, maybe Jonathan also believes it’s one of the lies of the present administration.