The United Nations on Wednesday condemned the abduction of Dapchi schoolgirls in Yobe State by Boko Haram insurgents, calling for their “immediate and unconditional release.”
The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, in a statement by his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said the UN would support the Federal Government to fight terrorism and violent extremism.
The UN Secretary-General said the Federal Government must bring those responsible for the abduction to book and ensure the safe return of the schoolgirls to their families.
The statement read in part, “The United Nations Secretary-General has denounced the abduction of more than 100 schoolgirls by suspected Boko Haram insurgents during an attack on an educational institution in north-eastern Nigeria and called for their safe return to their families.
“The Secretary-General calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all the missing girls. The UN chief also urged Nigerian authorities to swiftly bring those responsible for the act to justice.
“Guterres reiterated UN’s solidarity and support to the governments of Nigeria and other affected countries in the region in their fight against terrorism and violent extremism.”
Minister orders IGP, NSCDC boss’ relocation to N’East
The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, has directed the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris; and the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Abdullahi Muhammadu, to relocate to the North-East.
The presidency disclosed this on Wednesday in a series of messages posted on its Twitter handle, @NGRPresident.
According to the message, the two security chiefs were asked to liaise with the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole as well as governors of the affected states to ensure deployment of personnel to all schools in the liberated areas in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states.
“The minister said the directive has become necessary to forestall a re-occurrence of the attack on innocent schoolchildren,” another message read.
Air force creates command point in Maiduguri
The Nigerian Air Force said on Wednesday that it was coordinating the air search for the missing Dapchi schoolgirls from its base in Maiduguri, Borno State.
A statement by the NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice-Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, said the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, had relocated to the NAF Base at Maiduguri, from where the air search operations for the missing Dapchi girls were being coordinated.
Adesanya said, “This is in order to have first-hand information on the progress of the air search efforts and to also give additional directives. The National Security Adviser, Mohammed Monguno, was equally at the NAF Base, Maiduguri, where he spoke to the personnel involved in the day and night air search operations.
“Also, the NSA said about 100 sorties have so far been conducted by NAF in the search for the missing girls within a stated period.”
NAF spokesman said in a statement on Wednesday that the number of sorties conducted by the air force while searching for the abducted girls does not “equate the number of aircraft deployed.”
Adesanya said, “There had been reports that 100 NAF aircraft had been deployed to search for the missing Dapchi girls.
“The number of sorties does not equate the number of aircraft deployed.”
