Abducted Dapchi schoolgirls: No point manufacturing stories, no information on girls- Lai Mohammed

As the controversies surrounding the abduction of over 90 Dapchi school girls by Boko Haram in Yobe State continues, Nigeria’s information Minister, Lai Mohammed, has said it was unnecessary for the government to continue to give information when such is not adequately available, and instead called for more time for investigation.

The Minister who spoke after he paid a visit to the school on Thursday, said the administration was still monitoring the situation and could not give the specific number of the missing students.

“We are still monitoring the situation and what I want people to understand is that since two days ago some of the students who fled to neighbouring towns and communities had returned and more have been returning,” he noted.

“When we arrived here we have been briefed by the governor and the GOC about the situation of the students. We know there are few students who are yet accounted for, but we don’t want to manufacture stories on this issue. But give us few days, we will be able to tell you exactly the real situation of things.

“But you can see response of the military, the response of the state government is quite commendable. Since four days now we have been following the efforts being made to arrest the situation.

“On the issue of the number of missing girls, we cannot give what we are not sure of, until we hear from their parents, we cannot say this is the number. Give us a few more time please.”

He regretted that the action of the terrorist group was meant to embarrass the Muhammadu Buhari government, insisting that the group is in its dying days.

“But we must understand that these are they dying days of the Boko Haram and what they intend to do is to embarrass the government because they have been degraded, they have been pushed out of Sambisa forest,” he said.

“They have been starved out of oxygen and the oxygen they feed on is publicity so that they can grab the world’s attention. But I can assure you that with the determination of our gallant military, the days of Boko Haram are numbered.”

The government had initially denied the abduction, saying that it was not sure if anyone was abducted, but the state governor, Ibrahim Geidam who visited the school on Wednesday confirmed that the students were abducted.

Yet, while the military at some point, claimed that the girls had been rescued, Gaidam also said none of the girls had been found.

Meanwhile, unconfirmed report has it that some of the missing girls parents are being picked up by security agencies for allegedly stoning the convoy of the governor when he made the visit on Wednesday.