Military plans strategies to rescue Dapchi schoolgirls

Two soldiers die in bid to reclaim six Borno border communities
The military, along with the service chiefs, is planning strategies to rescue the abducted Dapchi schoolgirls.

Director, Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. John Agim, who briefed journalists yesterday about the strategies of rescue, said the service chiefs came into the Theatre Command and Control Centre, Maiduguri, to review the ongoing military operations, particularly the operation to get back the abducted Dapchi schoolgirls.

Agim disclosed that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has solicited for the co-operation of the media and all stakeholders in the ongoing operation to rescue the abducted girls.

According to him, Buratai is asking for maturity so that we don’t speculate.

He said for example, there are some speculations that the military have employed the services of fishermen and farmers.

His words: “These speculations in view of Buratai can jeopardise the operations and endanger the lives of the abducted schoolgirls, as well as all those involved in the operations.

“While the military is soliciting for useful information from the general public, it has not singled out fishermen and farmers for this assistance to rescue the abducted girls who are between the ages of 11 and 19.

“Rather, the military is asking for anybody who had useful information for this purpose. What we would be doing henceforth is to limit the way the publicised strategies used.

“We rather want to discuss and communicate the successes of the rescue operations, rather than talking about the already adopted strategies.”

In another development, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj.-Gen. Rogers Nicholas, has said that two soldiers lost their lives while trying to reclaim six border area communities held by Boko Haram in Gwoza Local Council of Borno State.

Nicholas, in a statement, said the troops successfully cleared and dismantled insurgents’ camps in the four villages within the remaining parts of Sambisa Forest.

He said the clearance and reclaim operations progressed further into the destruction of terrorists’ camps at Chikideh and Chinene.

He said: “As troops exploited further in pursuit of the insurgents as they fled, one of the combat vehicles was rammed into by a terrorists’ Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED). Two officers were injured in the vehicle.

“The wounded officers were promptly evacuated for medical attention by the battle group medial team. Regrettably, we lost two gallant officers yesterday afternoon.”