Abduction of 94 schoolgirls: Buhari deploys military to Yobe

*As Minister of Defence leads delegation to Yobe

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the military and other security agencies to take immediate charge and control of Government Girls Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State, where 94 schoolgirls were said to be missing after Monday’s Boko Haram attack. He also directed the security agencies to inform him of development at the place accordingly.

Buhari has also sent a delegation led by the Minister of Defence, Monsur Dan-Ali, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, and Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed to go to Dapchi, to also get first-hand Information of the attacks.

The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, disclosed this while speaking with the State House Correspondents at the end of the over five-hour meeting presided over by President Buhari.

Mohammed said, “Mr. President has directed military and other security agencies to take immediate charge and control Government Girls Technical College, Dapchi, and informed him of developments.

“He has released a delegation led by the Minister of Defence to Dapchi, to get first-hand information as to what is happening tomorrow morning (Thursday).

Asked what is the additional information as regards the girls, aside the 48 that has returned, Mohammed said, “That is precisely why Mr President is in direct contact with military and police and as soon as we get any information, we will let you know.”

The Yobe State government has said 48 of the 94 students of the College, who were declared missing after Monday’s Boko Haram attack, have returned.

Some of the students were said to have fled after insurgents invaded the school.

One of the teachers in the school was quoted to have said a headcount was taken after the attack.

“After the roll call, 610 out the total number of 704 students have returned. We are still searching for the remaining 94 students,” he was quoted to have said.

“We cannot say (if they have been abducted) because the insurgents went into the students’ hostel, and many of these students scaled the fence and escaped into the bushes.”