Pulse logo
Pulse Region

'Kidnapped students have not been rescued', State Govt makes U-turn

The

A statement issued by the state government on Thursday, February, 22, said it was misled by a false information that the girls have rescued by the Nigerian Army.

It said it was on the basis of this information that the government issued a statement on Wednesday that the girls had been rescued.

Abdullahi Bego, the Director-General, Press Affairs to the State Governor Ibrahim Gaidam, had in the statement announced that the abducted girls were in safe hands of the Nigerian military.

The statement had said: "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 girls were kidnapped on Monday, February 19, 2018, by suspected Boko Haram terrorists who reportedly invaded their school.

The terrorists were said to have made away with 94 of the girls.

In the new statement, Bego apologised for misleading the general public, adding that the State Governor visited Dapchi town on Thursday, where he met with the community leaders and the girls' parents.

[No available link text]

He assured them that their children would be brought back home safely.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Wednesday directed the military and police to do everything possible to secure the girls' release.

ALSO READ: This is what happened when abducted Yobe schoolgirls returned home

In April 2014,  Boko Haram stormed the Government Secondary School in the town of Chibok, Borno State and abducted 276 female students.

A total of 57 of the girls, however, managed to escape over the next few months while the Federal Government secured the release 21 girls in October 2016 and another 82 of the girls were freed in May 2017 in exchange for ransom.

Subscribe to receive daily news updates.

Next Article