Yobe Governor says army didn't rescue any abducted schoolgirls

Yobe State governor, Ibrahim Gaidam, has dismissed the claims by the Nigerian Army that troops had rescued dozens of girls missing for days after a Boko Haram attack on Government Girls Science and Technical Secondary School at Dapchi town in Bursari local government area of the state.

The militant group had invaded the school on Monday, February 19, 2018, and made away with loads of food items from the school, sending students and staff running into the bushes for safety.

A head count of the students on Tuesday, February 20, had revealed that at least 94 schoolgirls were missing.

However, there were conflicting reports by the Commissioner of Police, Abdulmaliki Sumonu, who said 111 girls were unaccounted for, while the state government claimed later on Wednesday, February 21, that only over 50 were missing.

On Wednesday evening, Governor Gaidam's spokesman, Abdullahi Bego, said "some of the girls... 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."

No girls rescued

However, according to a report by TheCable, when the governor visited the community on Thursday, February 22, he made a turnaround and said none of the missing students have been rescued by the army.

Yobe attack on all-girls school

According to accounts by residents, the terrorists invaded the town around 7pm in over 18 gun trucks mounted with high caliber weapons.

Their loud shooting alerted residents, school students and staff who ran to seek cover in the surrounding bushes as the school's food store was successfully raided.

Troops of the Nigerian Army later arrived to repel the attack, aided by military jets.

A school source told ThisDay that the militants targeted the students as they went into their hostel during the attack.

It is unknown whether the girls are missing as a result of abduction by Boko Haram or have simply failed to return after fleeing from the attack, with some reported to have arrived at their homes safely.

The school has been closed down for a week pending investigations.