Parents of the 110 school girls of the Government Girls Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe state who were abducted over a month ago have said that the Dapchi girls have been brought back. Parents go through list of 110 schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram from Government Girls Technical College at Dapchi town in northern Nigerian on February 28, 2018.
Nigeria’s government on March 1 said it had set up a committee to establish how Boko Haram jihadists managed to kidnap 110 girls from their school in the country’s remote northeast.
Members of the militant Islamist group stormed the Government Girls Science and Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe state, on February 19, nearly four years after a similar mass abduction in Chibok, Borno state.
Two parents told Newsmen on Wednesday about the return of the students to Dapchi saying: “The Dapchi girls have been brought back. They were brought in nine vehicles and dropped outside the school at about 8:00 am (0700 GMT),” said Bashir Manzo, who heads a group set up to support parents whose children were abducted.
Although, out of the number, 5 of the abducted girls are yet to be found, posing fears whether they are alive or dead. Confirming the release of the Dapchi girls to Journalists, Abdullahi Kawi the father of Aisha Abdullahi of JSS 2 said his friend called him to confirm that one of the girls was dropped at Gumsa yesterday night while the others who were on their way to Dapchi arrived this morning (today).
Also Mustapha Mohammed Dapchi, Vice Chairman, Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN), Yobe State Chapter, whose house is located around the school said “I saw them dropped at the town’s motor park and the people who brought them told them to go back to their respective houses”.
A phone call to the Principal, Hajiya Adama could not go through as her phone was busy and our text message to her was not acknowledged. Already, security operatives have barricaded the major road leading Dapchi, leaving motorists and passengers stranded. Another source said.
Meanwhile, the Presidency on Wednesday also confirmed the release of students of Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State who were abducted by the Boko Haram sect on February 19.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, confirmed this in an interview.
Shehu promised to give further details on the development later.
“Yes, the girls are being transported to safety. We will give details later. We thank God,” the presidential spokesman said.
The girls’ release came exactly one week after President Muhammadu Buhari visited the school where they were kidnapped.
Buhari had during the visit last Wednesday reassured parents of the abducted schoolgirls that the Federal Government will not rest on its oars, until their wards are safely brought back home.
The President, who was accompanied by Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State, said he had directed full scale aerial surveillance and investigation to ensure that the girls were returned safely.
“I have read the full report of what happened in Dapchi. As I received the report, I was saddened and I am praying that God will continue to console you,” he said.
Buhari also said government will ensure that the Boko Haram menace is totally brought to an end.
“Boko Haram was in control of many local councils in Borno and some parts of Yobe State before we came. Now it has resorted to using young girls for suicide missions in mosques, churches and motor parks.
“We will not spare their members. We will ensure that Boko Haram meets its waterloo. By the will of God, I have directed the police and reinforced them, and the army and air force to keep searching until the children are returned alive,” he said.
