Chibok Girls: FG Goes Tough On School Owners As C'ttee Submits Report

The Presidential Fact-finding Committee on the Abduction of Chibok Schoolgirls, which was set up by President Goodluck Jonathan, has submitted its report.

Chairman of the committee, Brig-Gen Ibrahim Sabo (rtd), presenting its findings to Jonathan, noted that some students of the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, were truly kidnapped by some gunmen at their dormitory as against doubts that no schoolgirls were abducted on April 15.

Sabo disclosed that 219 students, out of the 276 girls kidnapped, were still missing, recommending that school owners, especially those in the North East, should adequately provide security for students if they must keep them in boarding houses, which the President adopted.

“As most Nigerians already know, there were some persons who doubted whether, in fact, any student was abducted from Government Secondary School, Chibok,” Sabo stressed, adding that, “on the other hand, for those who believed that there was abduction, there were lingering doubts as to how such a number of kidnap victims were conveyed, considering also that information was sparse as to how the raiding insurgents evacuated the victims.

“Mr President, the Committee here wishes to lay to rest any residual doubt whether or not any student was abducted at Chibok. There was mass abduction on the night of 14th April, 2014.”

He further narrated that, “during the siege on the school, 119 students escaped from the school premises, before the insurgents took away their classmates. A total number of 276 students were, thus, abducted.

“As of today, 57 of the abducted students have been reunited with their families after escaping along the zig-zag transport route taken by the insurgents, or by bolting to safety when the insurgents laid-by for a rest. Sadly, 219 students remain unaccounted for.”

The Committee Chairman said information was carefully collated during findings, noting that some relevant persons were also interacted with in realising its “fact-finding mandate.”

According to Sabo, the safe rescue of the girls is more important to the country than the publicity the issue has generated.