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Some of the female students abducted from Government Girls’
Secondary School (GGSS), Chibok, Borno State, may have been ferried
around Lake Chad basin by their abductors – suspected Boko Haram
gunmen.
A Chibok youth leader, Dr Pogu Bitrus, who stated this during an
interview with the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting
Corporation (BBC), said his assertion was based on a report that
indicates the girls were divided into groups to make it impossible for
security agencies tracking them to rescue all the students from one
place.
He said, “We have a report that the sect might have divided the girls
into different groups and separated them to make it impossible to get
all the girls in one place.
“Since the girls were abducted from GGSS Chibok by the Boko Haram,
we heard that the girls were separated. Some were detained in
Sambisa Forest, some detained around Gwoza, Marte and Monguno
axis.
“For almost two weeks the security forces left us in confusion
regarding their glaring inability to rescue the schoolgirls and no
information from the security that will calm the frustrated parents”.
The youth leader also berated the government for not doing
everything possible to rescue the final-year students of GGSS Chibok,
adding that even if the government is doing anything possible to
rescue the girls, it is being kept under wraps.
According to him: “The search for the missing girls was then left in the
hands of their hapless parents who rented 150 commercial
motorcyclists, got some volunteers with cutlasses and bows and
arrows and went into the forest determined to rescue their wards or
die trying.
“In the end, even they were forced to abandon the search when a
warning came from the terrorists that if they didn’t stop, they and
their children would be killed”, he said.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the state JTF, Col. Muhammad
Dole, said he was not authorized to comment on the matter and
referred further inquiries to the Director of Defence Information, Maj-
Gen Chris Olukolade.
The military had earlier said that it was satisfied with the pace of its
operations against Boko Haram extremists to rescue the abducted
schoolgirls in Borno State.
“The morale of the soldiers is high and we are expecting to see more
successes from the troops,” Olukolade said.
We seek Nigerians’ understanding – Military
The Defence Headquarters yesterday called for understanding on the
abducted girls as efforts are being made to secure their freedom.
According to the spokesman of the military, Major General Chris
Olukolade, every information received is under consideration.
When LEADERSHIP contacted Olukolade over the movement of the
girls, he said: “The concern and anxiety from all quarters is quite
understandable. Please be assured that much as the forces may not
disclose details of action being taken to secure the freedom of the girls,
every information received on the subject is duly analysed and acted
upon as necessary.
“No information is being ignored in the concerted efforts to ensure the
safety and freedom of the abducted girls.
“Though I may not be able to disclose details of action being taken to
secure the freedom of the girls, I can assure you that every information
received on the subject is duly analysed and acted upon as
necessary.”
Secondary School (GGSS), Chibok, Borno State, may have been ferried
around Lake Chad basin by their abductors – suspected Boko Haram
gunmen.
A Chibok youth leader, Dr Pogu Bitrus, who stated this during an
interview with the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting
Corporation (BBC), said his assertion was based on a report that
indicates the girls were divided into groups to make it impossible for
security agencies tracking them to rescue all the students from one
place.
He said, “We have a report that the sect might have divided the girls
into different groups and separated them to make it impossible to get
all the girls in one place.
“Since the girls were abducted from GGSS Chibok by the Boko Haram,
we heard that the girls were separated. Some were detained in
Sambisa Forest, some detained around Gwoza, Marte and Monguno
axis.
“For almost two weeks the security forces left us in confusion
regarding their glaring inability to rescue the schoolgirls and no
information from the security that will calm the frustrated parents”.
The youth leader also berated the government for not doing
everything possible to rescue the final-year students of GGSS Chibok,
adding that even if the government is doing anything possible to
rescue the girls, it is being kept under wraps.
According to him: “The search for the missing girls was then left in the
hands of their hapless parents who rented 150 commercial
motorcyclists, got some volunteers with cutlasses and bows and
arrows and went into the forest determined to rescue their wards or
die trying.
“In the end, even they were forced to abandon the search when a
warning came from the terrorists that if they didn’t stop, they and
their children would be killed”, he said.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the state JTF, Col. Muhammad
Dole, said he was not authorized to comment on the matter and
referred further inquiries to the Director of Defence Information, Maj-
Gen Chris Olukolade.
The military had earlier said that it was satisfied with the pace of its
operations against Boko Haram extremists to rescue the abducted
schoolgirls in Borno State.
“The morale of the soldiers is high and we are expecting to see more
successes from the troops,” Olukolade said.
We seek Nigerians’ understanding – Military
The Defence Headquarters yesterday called for understanding on the
abducted girls as efforts are being made to secure their freedom.
According to the spokesman of the military, Major General Chris
Olukolade, every information received is under consideration.
When LEADERSHIP contacted Olukolade over the movement of the
girls, he said: “The concern and anxiety from all quarters is quite
understandable. Please be assured that much as the forces may not
disclose details of action being taken to secure the freedom of the girls,
every information received on the subject is duly analysed and acted
upon as necessary.
“No information is being ignored in the concerted efforts to ensure the
safety and freedom of the abducted girls.
“Though I may not be able to disclose details of action being taken to
secure the freedom of the girls, I can assure you that every information
received on the subject is duly analysed and acted upon as
necessary.”
