This is not the best of times for the parents of the abducted final year students of the Government Girls’ Secondary School (GGSS), Chibok, Borno State, as suspected members of the Boko Haram have threatened to kill the parents and the students if the parents and soldiers continue with their search in Sambisa Forest, according to a report carried by the Hausa Service of the Voice of America (VOA).
One of the parents told the VOA that “we are seriously disturbed about the abduction of the innocent children. We, the parents, have decided to raise some money to fuel 150 motorbikes to enter the forest in search of our daughters.”
Parents of some of the abducted girls have headed into the forest in a desperate search for their daughters. One of the fathers told the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) that he was willing to die in the forest in an attempt to free his daughter.
A group of parents have raised money to buy fuel and water and have moved into the forest with a local vigilante group to search for the girls.
The Nigerian Air Force, the Nigerian Army, the police, vigilante groups and volunteers are all involved in the search for the schoolgirls.
The school principal, Asabe Kwambura, and parents of the abducted girls had disclosed that the missing girls were 234 in number.
“We are calling on the government to do everything possible to track these people and save our daughters from them. They should not allow our daughters’ dreams to be shattered by these murderers.
“They took away our daughters and our nieces and we fear for their safety in the hands of these merciless people that take delight in killing and destruction,” one parent said.
25 killed in another Wukari community
Gunmen yesterday launched an attack on Ndo-Yaku Village of Wukari local government area of Taraba State, killing 25 persons and burning down houses, according to local sources.
The attackers, who were said to be wearing military uniforms, stormed the village which is a few kilometres away from the administrative headquarters of the council at about 9am.
Former president of the Jukun Youth of Vision, Wukari, Mr. Luka Agbu, alleged that the attack was launched by hired mercenaries who are hell-bent on reducing the population of the Jukuns.
He said, “We don’t know what the Jukuns have done because it is only the Jukuns that they concentrate on, and as I am talking to you now, apart from the killings, several houses have been burnt down completely.”
According to him, the gunmen attacked the village and other villages that were previously attacked with General Multipurpose Machine Guns (GMPGs), easily overpowering the security personnel in the area.
He appealed to the federal government and state authorities to deploy more security presence to the community to contain the situation.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Joseph Kwaji, confirmed the attack, saying howeve, that he was yet to be briefed by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) from the area.
Bauchi Govt Evacuates 255 Students From School
Meanwhile, Bauchi State Ministry of Education has evacuated 255 female students from Government Girls’ Secondary School (GGSS), Yan, in Shira Local Government Area and has taken them to the state capital, Bauchi, following a recent attack by unknown gunmen at the school, according to a report by the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
Gunmen had attacked Yana town on Sunday morning and set ablaze the staff quarters of GGSS, Yana.
The gunmen were said to have invaded the town with sophisticated weapons and explosive devices and reportedly burnt the school staff quarters, but no student was hurt during the attack as the school is closed for break, leaving the final year students in the school.
The hurried evacuation of the female final year students might not be unconnected with security lapses in the town and the abduction of over 230 final year students from GGSS, Chibok, Borno State by the Boko Haram sect.
Although, Bauchi State is one of the restive states in the northeast that is not affected by the emergency rule in the region, it has come under attacks in the recent time.
Boko Haram will not defeat us – Gov. Shettima
Meanwhile, the Borno State governor Kashim Shettima has declared that the Boko Haram insurgents will not emerge victorious in their continued killing and maiming of innocent Nigerians.
Shettima stated this yesterday this while speaking with journalists in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, following the recent attack and abduction of hundreds of female students at GGSC, Chibok.
The governor said: “They can burn our physical infrastructure, but they cannot destroy our souls. We are going to survive and rebuild our lives because truth will always triumph over falsehood.”
According to him, Boko Haram is an ideology built on falsehood which cannot stand the test of time.
Shettima also described the abduction of the students as a national tragedy.
“The abduction of innocent girls is also a trial from God, and we will overcome it soon.Our hearts go to the parents of the abducted girls, because it is a tragedy that has befallen all of us,” he added.
Shettima expressed optimism that the girls would soon be rescued by security agents.
He said, “Security agents are working very hard to rescue the girls. Hopefully the girls will be rescued in a very short while,” he said.
More troops deployed to Wukari – Taraba Ag. Gov
Acting Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Garba Umar, has said that 50 additional soldiers have been deployed from Adamawa State to Wukari in Taraba State, in an effort to tackle the wave of communal clashes in the area.
Communal clashes have engulfed the area since April 15 leading to the death of at least 24 people.
Umar who revealed this at a news conference in Jalingo yesterday said the soldiers would complement the troops already on ground.
He directed that the Takum General Hospital, which was closed down due to security reasons, be re-opened so that victims of the recent violent attacks in area could receive treatment.
The acting governor sympathised with four women who were delivered of their babies at the Mutum-Biyu refugee camp and promised that government would render free treatment to every victim of the attacks in the area.
Umar announced that the 24-hour curfew earlier imposed in the area had been relaxed and would be in force from noon to 6am.
According to him, 29 trailers loaded with relief materials had been sent to Takum, Wukari, Gassol and Ibi areas to minimise the sufferings of the people occasioned by the attacks.
Umar reiterated that his government had taken proactive measures to deal with the security challenges, saying that security issues were too sensitive to be politicised.
“We remain committed to the security and wellbeing of the public. Unfortunately some people are using this security challenge to have political gains. Security of our dear state is too sensitive to play politics with,” he said. (NAN)
Kaduna Christians, Muslims Tasked Over Unity, Tolerance
A member of the Jema’a Emirate Council in Kaduna State, Zannan Jema’a, Alhaji Dankeke Mato, has urged Christians and Muslims to imbibe tolerance and live in unity in order to allow peace reign supreme in the society.
Mato also admonished the adherents of Islam and Christianity to avoid religious rivalry and ethnicity, adding that peace is the responsibility of all.
Addressing journalists in Kaduna yesterday, Mato said: “We in Kaduna State in the past lived in peace with one another other without discriminating on religious or tribal basis. So I think we should go back to that era when peace was the order of the day. I call on our people to respect one another’s faith.”
According to him, Northern Nigeria used to be the most peaceful part of the country but today the story is different.
He therefore appealed to the people in the state to disregard rumour mongers, and called on youths in the state not to involve themselves in social vices.
Mato further called on the people to support the administration of Governor Ramalan Yero who is always committed to promoting peace and understanding between Christians and Muslims in the state.
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