(BBOG) to a short trip in a military operational flight into Sambisa
forest in search of the missing Chibok girls.
The invitation extended to members of the BBOG, an advocacy group for the
release of the missing school girls from Chibok, Borno, was contained in a
letter dated Jan. 11.
The letter signed by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed and addressed to Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, the convener of the group
was made available to the media on Saturday.
In the letter, the government asked the BBOG to nominate three of its
members to join on the guided trip on Jan. 16 in recognition of the
unwavering commitment of the group to the release of the girls
“The trip being planned by the military will see the ministers of defence
and information, the Chief of Air Staff and Chief of Army Staff joining
the invited BBOG members and a select group of journalists.
“They will first go to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Command Centre in Yola
to witness firsthand the efforts being made to search for the girls by NAF
and then join the day and night sorties with the BAF to the Sambisa
Forest.
“Please note that due to limited seats on the search plane, only two of
the invited BBOG members will join the NAF sorties.
“After the sorties, the team will return to Yola for bidding by the NAF on
their daily search for the girls as well as all those who have been
abducted by Boko Haram.
“Departure is scheduled for 8.30a.m. at the Air Force wing of the Nnamdi
Azikiwe International Airport on Monday the Jan. 17, 2017, ” the letter
reads in part.
The government stated that the trip would avail the BBOG the opportunity
to witness and better understand the efforts being made to secure the
freedom of the girls and other victims of Boko Haram terrorists.