FG meets BBOG's fresh conditions to join trip to sambisa forest

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed had invited the BBOG to be part of a guided tour of the sambisa forest in the North East to witness first-hand the military's ongoing search for the Chibok Girls.

But in its response to the invitation, the BBOG listed conditions that would inform its acceptance of the offer, which included a change of date for the trip to accommodate a pre-tour meeting between the group and some top officials of the Federal Government.

The group also demanded the retraction of some alleged slanderous remarks made against the BBOG by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai.

The Federal Government, however, rejected the conditions in a letter dated Saturday, January 14, saying the tour slated for Monday, January 16, could not be postponed as other important invitees including local and international journalists are already prepared for the trip - among other logistics that have been paid for.

However, the BBOG on Sunday, January 15, wrote another letter to Lai Mohammed to indicate its conditional acceptance of the offer to travel with the team.

ALSO READ: Group advises BBOG to support FG`s efforts to rescue students

The minister surprisingly replied meeting all the fresh conditions of the group.

Pulse exclusively obtained the latest communication between the BBOG and the Federal Government.

See below:

1. Letter from BBOG co-convener Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili to the FG

From: Oby Ezekwesili <obyezekwesili@gmail.com>

Date: 15 January 2017 at 8:20:43 PM WAT

To: HonMinister InfoCul <laimohammed124@gmail.com>

Subject: Re: #BBOG LETTER

Thanks Minister Mohammed for your letter of the 14th January in

response to ours.

Can you please quickly provide us more details of the tour duration

and detailed logistics including the names of the local and

international media on the delegation.

We need those information to enable us send you a more substantial

letter conveying our acceptance to join the "Guided Tour".

Many thanks for your invitation.

Blessings,

Oby

2. Response from the Federal Government to BBOG

Dear Mrs Ezekwesili,

Thank you for your letter which I received via email this Sunday evening, at 8:20 pm, seeking more details on the planned trip to the North East.

Let me also express how glad I am that #BBOG is willing to reconsider its decision not to join us on the trip.

The trip will last two days, starting on Monday, 16 Jan. 2017.

Concerning the logistics, the team will be ferried to Yola by the Nigerian Air Force, from where a select group will join the NAF search mission to Sambisa (Please see below for the programme).

On the list of the local and international journalists accompanying us, please see the names below:

1. Stanley Nwosu FRCN

2. Fred Ayo NTA

3. Anthony Forson NTA

4. Solomon Chung VON

5. Ariyo Obagbemile FMIC Photographer

6. Amaka okafor Channels TV

7. Kabiru Owoyomi Channels TV

8. Felix Onuah Reuters

9. Rotimi Jikanmi NAN

10. Ola Awoniyi AFP

11. Seun The Nation