The Police Commissioner in Yobe, Abdulmaliki Sumonu,on Wednesday
confirmed that 111 schoolgirls were still unaccounted for, following
Mondaysattack by Boko Haram insurgents on Dapchis Government Girls
Secondary School, Dapchi.
Sumonu stated this while fielding questions from newsmen in Damaturu.
He said, 815 out of the 926 students were physically seen in the school
as atTuesday. There are reports that more girls have returned to the
school after the head count.
According to him, there were no abductions or deaths inside the school.
This contradicted a report by a foreign news agency that some 91
schoolgirls may have been abducted, the way Chibok girls were abducted in
April 2014.
A roll-call at the girls schoolon Tuesdayshowed that 91 students were
absent, said the two people with direct knowledge of the matter.
I saw girls crying and wailing in three Tata vehicles and they were
crying for help, said a witness from the nearby village of Gumsa who was
reportedly forced to show the insurgents the way out of the area and then
released, Reuters reported.
But Sunmonu denied the story of abduction.
I asked the schools principal if there were abductions or deaths in the
school and she said no.
I am not unaware of the rumours going on, l want to appeal to the press
and the society to please cooperate with the security agencies in this
situation, he said.
The commissioner said the security forces had pursued the insurgents in a
new location where they were reported to have been seen.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the insurgents attacked
Government Girls Secondary School, Dapchi,on Mondayand looted foodstuff,
while the staff and students ran into the bush for safety.
However, in a separate report, the Yobe State government said that it is
only 50 out of 926 Dapchi schoolgirls that have not reported back to
school.
The government doubted whether any of the girls had been abducted by the
attackers, saying there was no credible information to back the story of
abduction.
Abdullahi Bego, Director General on press affairs to the governor in
Damaturu said:
The Yobe State Government is working with the Nigerian Army and other
security and law enforcement agencies to ensure that all students in the
school are fully accounted for.
As the public is aware, the students were helped by their teachers to
escape through the night to the surrounding bush and villages as the
terrorists stormed the town last Monday.
Out of the 926 students in the school, over 50 are still unaccounted for
as of the time of this statement.
However, the Yobe State Government has continued to receive information
about some of the girls being found in the general area to which they
escaped.
The State Government is coordinating with the army and law enforcement
agencies to ensure that those girls are returned safely.
The Yobe State Government has no credible information yet as to whether
any of the schoolgirls was taken hostage by the terrorists.
The statement said Gov Ibrahim Gaidam was saddened and outraged by the
unfortunate event.
The governor has directed that all relevant personnel and agencies work
closely with the army and other security organisations to address the
situation.
The Yobe State Government assures parents and the school community that it
will do everything necessary to ensure that all the missing girls are
found and returned to their school and families and that security is
improved in the area.