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Buhari orders ‘first-hand information’ on Dapchi attack

By Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Terhemba Dakaa (Abuja) and Njadvara Musa (Damaturu)
22 February 2018   |   3:43 am
President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the deployment of soldiers and other security agencies to take immediate charge and control of Government Girls Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State and keep him abreast of developments.  Boko Haram terrorists had on Monday launched an attack on the college, a girls boarding school in Yobe but the students and teachers…

President Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the deployment of soldiers and other security agencies to take immediate charge and control of Government Girls Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State and keep him abreast of developments. 

Boko Haram terrorists had on Monday launched an attack on the college, a girls boarding school in Yobe but the students and teachers fled to safety, reports said.

Briefing State House Correspondents after yesterday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed said that President Buhari has also directed the Minister of Defence, Brigadier-General Mansur Dan-Ali to lead a delegation to Dapchi “to get first-hand information as to what is happening.”

Also to join the delegation is the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama.  

“That is precisely why the president is in direct contact with military and police and as soon as we get any information we will let you know,” the minister said. 

Meanwhile, condemnation on the attack came yesterday from President of the Senate, Abubakar Bukola Saraki.

Saraki in statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, described the attack as one too many even as he urged the security agencies to get to the root of the matter, bring the perpetrators to book and ensure that all students of the school are properly accounted for.

He called on security agencies to reinforce security around academic institutions in the country in order to prevent criminal elements from taking advantage of such soft targets to disrupt academic activities and wreck havoc at a time the Federal Government is working assiduously to end the incidents of terror in the Northeast and other flash points in the country.

He also urged the security agencies to be proactive in protecting lives and property in the country. He expressed sympathy with the affected students, parents, school authorities and the government and people of Yobe State over the unfortunate incident.

Also, the Yobe State Government said over 50 students are still unaccounted for, two days after the attack. The college has a population of 926 students.

Director General of the Press Affairs to the Governor, Abdullahi Bego said the state government is working with the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to ensure that all the students are fully accounted for.

According to him, students were helped by their teachers to escape through the surrounding bush and villages as the terrorists stormed the town.

On abduction of students, Bego said: “Government has no credible information yet; as to whether any of the school girls was taken
hostage by the terrorists.

“Governor Ibrahim Gaidam is deeply saddened and has assured parents, guardians and school community that the state government will do everything necessary to ensure that all missing girls are found and returned to the school and families.’’

Defence spokesman, Brigadier General John Agim who was contacted by The Guardian in a Short Message Service (SMS), said: “I am boarding a flight.”
Effort to reach police spokesman, Moshood Jimoh, a Superintendent of police (SP) proved abortive as he did not pick his calls.

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