By Nuel Suji – The United Nations (UN) has condemned the abduction of 110 schoolgirls of the Government Girls Science and Technical College (GGSC) Dapchi, Yobe State, Nigeria by the Boko Haram insurgents, urging for the immediate and unconditional release of the students.
Even as the Federal Government FG has directed the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abdullahi Muhammadu, to relocate to the North-East.
The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, in a statement issued by his Spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, pledged that the global body would support the Nigerian government to fight terrorism and violent extremism.
Still, the body demanded that Nigeria must bring those responsible for the abduction to book and ensure the safe return of the schoolgirls to their families.
The UN Scribe also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all the missing girls.
“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” the statement said.
Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, gave the directive Wednesday that Mr. Idris and Mr. Muhammed should relocate to the troubled region to strengthen security in the area.
Dambazau explained that 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 school children.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air Force NAF Wednesday confirmed that it was coordinating the air search for the missing Dapchi schoolgirls from its base in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
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 also relocated to the NAF Base at Maiduguri, from where the air search operations for the missing Dapchi girls were being coordinated.
“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” stated Adesanya.
