Army rescues abducted Dapchi schoolgirls

Army rescues abducted Dapchi schoolgirls

Dapchi school girls durig Tuesday head count

NAN Reports
Some of the schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram insurgents at Government Girls Secondary School Dapchi in Yobe have been rescued by the army.
Alhaji Abdullahi Bego, Director General to Yobe governor on Press affairs, disclosed this in a press statement issued on Wednesday, 21/2/2018.
A report by NAN Correspondent, Mohammed Mamman from Damaturu had stated that Police Commissioner in Yobe, Abdulmaliki Sumonu, on Wednesday confirmed that 111 schoolgirls were still unaccounted for, following Monday’s attack by Boko Haram insurgents  on Dapchi’s Government Girls Secondary School, Dapchi.
Sumonu stated this while fielding questions from newsmen in Damaturu.
He said, “815 out of the 926 students were physically seen in the school as at Tuesday. There are reports that more girls have returned to the school after the head count.”
According to him, there were no abductions or deaths inside the school. This contradicted a report by a foreign news agency that some 91 schoolgirls may have been abducted, the way Chibok girls were abducted in April 2014.
“A roll-call at the girls’ school on Tuesday showed that 91 students were absent, said the two people with direct knowledge of the matter.
“I saw girls crying and wailing in three Tata vehicles and they were crying for help,” said a witness from the nearby village of Gumsa who was reportedly forced to show the insurgents the way out of the area and then released”. Reuters reported.
But Sunmonu denied the story of abduction.
“I asked the school’s principal if there were abductions or deaths in the school and she said no.
“I am not unaware of the rumours going on, l want to appeal to the press and the society to please cooperate with the security agencies in this situation,” he said.
The commissioner said the security forces had pursued the insurgents in a new location where they were reported to have been seen.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the insurgents attacked Government Girls Secondary School, Dapchi, on Monday and looted foodstuff, while the staff and students ran into the bush for safety.

“The Yobe State Government hereby informs the public that some of the girls at Government Girls Science Technical College (GGSTC) whose school was attacked by Boko Haram terrorists last Monday have been rescued by gallant officers and men of the Nigerian Army from the terrorists who abducted them.
“The rescued girls are now in the custody of the Nigerian Army.
“We will provide more details about their number and condition in due course.
“His Excellency Governor Ibrahim Gaidam, who is very grateful for the gallantry and hard work of the officers and men of the Nigerian Army involved in the operation, is monitoring the situation closely and will make a statement in due course” the statement said.
Earlier the government had said about 50 of the girls were yet to report to the school since the attack by Boko Haram gunmen.

President Muhammadu Buhari had despatched Minister of Defence, Brig-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali, Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed and Foreign Affairs, Minister Mr Geoffrey Onyeama to visit Dapchi  in Yobe to assess the reported abduction of schoolgirls.
NAN Correspondent, Ismaila Chafe, reported that the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made this known when he briefed State House correspondents after the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
The meeting, which was held at the State House Council Chamber on Wednesday, was presided over by President Buhari.
Mohammed disclosed that the President had since directed military and other security agencies to take immediate charge and control of Government Girls Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe, where the incident occurred.
“Mr President has directed military and other security agencies to take immediate charge and control of Government Girls Technical College, Dapchi, and inform him of developments.
“He has released a delegation led by the Minister of Defence to Dapchi, to get first hand information as to what is happening.
“Others in the delegation are Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Information,’’ he said
According to the minister, the President is monitoring the situation through direct contact with military and police, saying that Nigerians will be constantly briefed on developments.
The Police in Yobe had on Tuesday confirmed an attack on Government Girls’ Secondary School (GGSS) Dapchi, in Bursari Local Government Area of Yobe, by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect.
The Yobe state Commissioner of Police, Abdulmaliki Sumonu, who spoke to newsmen on the incident, said there was no reported case of abduction of any girls in the school.
However, social media reports indicated that 94 schoolgirls were abducted during the attack.
It was also reported that 46 out of the reported 94 missing girls had reappeared.
The insurgents had on Monday attacked the College, firing sporadically forcing staff and students to flee for safety. The insurgents also looted the school’s food store.

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