The fog over the veracity of the video released by Boko Haram is beginning to clear as parents have so far identified 54 of the over 200 school girls abducted by the Islamic fundamentalist group. This is even as President Goodluck Jonathan has written the National Assembly seeking an extension of the State of Emergency declared in the three North East states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

The President noted that substantial progress has been made in the containment of terrorist insurgency hence the need for further extension by another six months.

Following the request, the House of Representatives will on Wednesday debate the desirability for extension of the state of emergency.  The Speaker, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal said this at a plenary on Tuesday in Abuja when he read the President’s letter of request. Deputy  Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, read that of the Senate.

The President is relying on the provisions of Section 305(6) (c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). His letter said in spite of the pending emergency rule, “the security situation in the three states remained daunting’’.

“Honourable members, the security situation in the three states remains daunting albeit to varying degrees in the face of persistent attacks by members of the Boko Haram sect on civilian and military targets with alarming casualty rates,” the letter read.

Jonathan urged the lawmakers to consider and approve by resolution, the extension of the proclamation of the state of emergency in the affected states by a further term of six months from the date of expiration of the current term.

It would be recalled that Jonathan had proclaimed a state of emergency in the three states on May 14, 2013, following onslaughts by members of the Boko Haram sect.

The emergency rule was extended for another six months, beginning from November 12, 2013 after same was approved by the National Assembly.

Meantime, emotions are welling up among the parents of the Chibok girls as many of them have stayed glued to the recent video released by the sect in which scores of girls hooded in Islamic regalia were shown reciting the Quran. The video which gone viral upon its release depicted the girls in squatting positions in an open field in the company of well-armed members of the terror group.