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More Rifles and Ammunition Recovered from Nasarawa

Asides the 56 Rifles and 300 Ammunitions recovered in Taraba State following the instruction of the IGP, Ibrahim Idris, The Nasarawa State Police Command has said it had recovered about 35 arms and 222 live ammunition across the 13 local government areas and 18 development councils of the state.

Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Bello Ahmed, made the announcement at a briefing with journalists at the Command’s headquarters in Lafia, the capital.

He revealed that among the arms recovered were two Ak-47, one Ak-49 assault rifles, one SMG rifle, one Auto six, one English-made pistol, two Dane guns and 27 locally-fabricated guns.

Also recovered, according to the police boss, were 197 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, 18 rounds of .9mm live ammunition and seven cartridges.

He said, “Detectives have been given rules of engagement with a view to achieving this all important directive of the police high command in the larger public interest and that citizens will sleep with their two eyes closed and go about their lawful businesses.

“We have carefully and strategically mapped out the state with a view of identifying and raiding suspected black spots and criminal havens.”

He, however, explained that the Command was able to recover all the arms and live ammunition at various locations in the state following a tip-off.

The police boss, who confirmed that scores of suspects were arrested for allegedly being in possession of illegal firearms, said the exercise was ongoing.

56 Rifles, 300 Ammunition Recovered in Taraba State

The police in Taraba State on Friday said they had so far recovered 56 rifles and 300 live ammunition in the state, following the directive by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, that all prohibited firearms be mopped up from unauthorized persons.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. David Akinremi, disclosed this while parading some suspects at the command headquarters in Jalingo.

Akinremi told journalists that the command, upon receipt of the IGP directive, constituted a task force headed by DCP Operations, Faleye Olaleye, who swung into action, leading to the arrest and recovery of the arms and ammunition.

He said, “A good number of people responded and surrendered their weapons. However, some criminally-minded persons are still holding back their arms after the expiration of the 21 days ultimatum for people to surrender their weapons.

“Following intensive surveillance, our men arrested a Fulani man, Umar Abu, from Karim Lamido Local Government Area with one AK-47 rifle with nine rounds of ammunition.

“Other weapons recovered from others include one G3 rifle, two K2 rifles, three LAR riffles, two pump-action rifles, two double-barrelled rifles, 13 single-barrelled rifles, 28 locally made pistols and 300 live ammunition,” he said.

The commissioner said the task force, acting on intelligence, raided a criminal hideout along the Maimolo-Yerima Road in Bali Local Government Area and arrested six suspects believed to be bandits terrorising the area.

Akinremi explained that the mop-up exercise was still ongoing and would continue until all illegally-acquired firearms in the hands of individuals were recovered.

CNM Accuses Buhari’s Govt of Security Corruption

The Coalition for Nigeria Movement led by former President Olusegun Obasanjo has asked Nigerians to be wary of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government as it has corrupted security agencies ahead of the 2019 general elections.

It said the statement by a former Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd.), that the military was colluding with unscrupulous individuals should not be dismissed.

The spokesman for the CNM, Mr. Akin Osuntokun, said this while responding to allegations by heads of security agencies that there was a plot by some groups to disrupt the 2019 general elections.

The Directors-General of the Department of State Services, Mr. Lawal Daura; and National Intelligence Agency, Mr. Ahmed Rufa’I as well as the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, had raised the alarm over the plans by some groups to disrupt the processes leading to the 2019 elections.

The evil plan, according to them, was for the groups to create a stalemate during the elections.

However, Osuntokun told one of our correspondents that the security heads were acting out the script of the All Progressives Congress.

He said, “It all sounds funny to me. I don’t know any group that meets that description but why would anyone want to disrupt the 2019 elections? The only people that would want to disrupt the elections are the APC which has sensed its imminent defeat.

“If what Gen. Danjuma said is true whereby our protectors have become murderers, then it means they are the ones that should be feared. They are the ones that should be suspected.

“If you can extrapolate from what Gen. Danjuma said, that means Nigerians are at the mercy of the government or the army that is colluding. The people we should fear are (those in ) the government.”

Osuntokun said it was unfortunate that the heads of security agencies were serving a ‘conspiratorial parochial agenda’ as they were protecting the President’s ethnic base.

He added, “Where is the need to reserve the command of the Nigerian military and security services exclusively for the ethno-religious base of the President if it is not to serve a conspiratorial parochial agenda?

“The only group that fits this description of a fictitious fifth columnist agenda is the government itself.”

Security services shouldn’t cause panic –NCP

The National Conscience Party asked Nigeria’s security services to wake up to their responsibilities and should not try to cause panic to achieve pre-arranged objectives.

The National Chairman of the party, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, said this in a telephone interview with Saturday PUNCH, in Abuja, on Friday.

He was reacting to the news that the nation’s security chiefs had raised the alarm over threats by unnamed groups to scuttle the 2019 general elections.

Tanko said, “That is very unfortunate. I wouldn’t want to say unprofessional; I only hope they are not raising a false alarm as part of a gimmick to short-change Nigerians.

“Security people do a lot of things; I don’t think it is fair for them to send panic or create fear among Nigerians. They are in the government; they are trained and paid to protect us.

“They have the capacity to deal with threats if they know these individuals or groups and they have evidence. What is stopping them from apprehending them?

“It is completely unnecessary for our security officials to try to create a situation of panic. As ordinary citizens, we don’t have the information and capacity they have. If they are now throwing it back to us, what do they expect us to do?

“Who do we move to for protection? It is their duty to ensure that the election is free and fair and not to send fear into the hearts of Nigerians.”

Speaking in a similar vein, the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Alhaji Abdukadir Abdulsalam, urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and ensure that nothing untoward was done by any individual or group to scuttle the 2019 elections.

Abdulsalam who also spoke in a telephone interview noted that Nigerians owed it a duty to themselves and the nation to remain vigilant while the institutions of the state live up to their responsibility.

“We expect our security officials to do their jobs by ensuring a peaceful atmosphere before, during and after elections.

“We should not become a nation that each time an election is coming we begin to raise security concerns. It does not portray us as a serious country.”

FG must act fast –CACOL, CD

Two civil societies, the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership and the Campaign for Democracy have said that the Federal Government must not treat the alarm raised by the security chiefs on the 2019 elections with kid gloves.

The civil societies said the government must reshuffle the military and other security agencies to bring in fresh and efficient hands, devoid of political and economic interests.

The CACOL Director, Debo Adeniran, said, “That alarm by security chiefs is a manifestation of the ominous sign of distrust between the serving and retired military officers.

“These are ominous times and the government must not fold its arms. It is a warning that should be taken seriously and everyone who is investigated to have such plans against the 2019 elections must be arrested and prosecuted, no matter whose ox is gored.

“They should be rounded up and made to sign an undertaking for the 2019 elections.”

Meanwhile, the CD President, Usman Abdul, said, “We will not condone any act of sabotaging our democracy. We call on the President to allow those security chiefs who are due for retirement to go. The President must bring in those who are capable of steering the course of the 2019 elections.

“Given these security alerts, the government must not let the 2019 elections go awry. There must be an action immediately and one of such actions is the removal of whoever is deemed inefficient.”

News Source: PUNCH

BREAKING: LAUTECH Governing Council Asks VC, Principals To Go Over Indictment

The Governing council of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso has asked all principal officers of the University to proceed on immediate leave.

Those affected are Vice Chancellor Prof. A.S. Gbadegesin, Mr. J. A. Agboola, Registrar , Prince A.B.C. Olagunju, Bursar , Mr. I.O. Ajala, Librarian.

It was gathered that the University Management staff were asked to proceed on immediate leave because they were indicted by the KPMG Reports and for their failure to curb the incessant strike by the labour unions in the University

The Vice Chancellor Prof. A.S. Gbadegesin was appointed by the Oyo and Osun Governors in 2011 after the then controversial Vice Chancellor, Prof Olarenwaju Nassar was sacked.

Prof Isaac Adeyemi , the most senior Professor of the University and a former Vice Chancellor of the Bells University of Technology has been appointed as the Acting Vice Chancellor while Ven Olusegun Ojo , the most senior Deputy Registrar and a former Registrar of Adeleke University Ede has been appointed as Acting Registrar.

Source: Amiloaded

 

Mr Ojo was once the University Acting Registrar but was also removed by the then Governor of Oyo State in the wake of the ownership crisis of 2010. Mrs Oyewunmi will act as the Librarian while Mr Agbolade will act as the Bursar

Leah will be Freed Today- Ibrahim Idris

The Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, said the abducted Dapchi schoolgirl, Leah Sharibu, will be freed today from the Boko Haram captivity.

Idris spoke with newsmen when he visited the Military Command and Control Centre, Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri.

‘Obviously, I am aware and that is what we are just discussing. I am supposed to go to Dapchi today but because of the girl, I learnt she may be released.

“It is a sort of understanding that we do not create much security situation and I move with a helicopter. By the time I fly there, they might think I break and that was why I postponed the visit to Dapchi,” he said.

Idris disclosed that he had directed the deployment of four mobile police men and female personnel in each of the schools in the northeast to assist in providing protection of the students and teachers.

He said that he embarked on the assessment tour of the northeast to appraise the situation to forestall the reoccurrence of the Dapchi incident.

“I have visited the schools to assess our deployment to the schools; I am here now to visit the military and I spoke to all my officers in the three commands, to encourage them to have a greater synergy with the military and other security agencies.

“I believe with this we are going to have enhanced security to all communities in the northeast region”.

Idris noted that there was significant improvement of the security situation in the region, adding that credit should go to the military and other security agencies.

Also, Maj.-Gen. Rogers Nicholas, the Theatre Commander, Operation LAFIYA DOLE, described the visit as part of mutual working relationship, adding the military and police were working as a team to facilitate successful implementation of the counter-insurgency campaign.

Nicholas said that the military in collaboration with the police had re-opened the Maiduguri-Bama-Banki Highway, stressing that there was effective synergy between the military and police in the theatre of operation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Idris had visited police formations, schools and liberated communities in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States in the past two days.

“Our Armed Forces Are Not Neutral”- Theophilus Danjuma

One of the former Minister of Defence and an elder statesman, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd.), on Saturday, told Nigerians to defend themselves against killers in the country, saying the armed forces were not ready to defend them.

Danjuma made the call while speaking at the maiden convocation of the Taraba State University, Jalingo, and the 10th anniversary of the institution.

The former Chief of Army Staff stated, “I am not a politician and politics is one profession I don’t want to belong to because if I am a politician, I will not say what I am going to say to you now.

“When I arrived in this arena, I saw rich cultural display and I was amazed at the rich cultural heritage of our people. Taraba is a mini Nigeria with diverse ethnic groups living together peacefully, but the peace in this state is under assault.

“There is an attempt at ethnic cleansing in the state and of course, some rural states in Nigeria. We must resist it. We must stop it. Every one of us must rise up.

“Our Armed Forces are not neutral. They collude with the bandits to kill people, kill Nigerians. The Armed Forces guide their movements; they cover them. If you are depending on the Armed Forces to stop the killings, you will all die one by one.

“This ethnic cleansing must stop in Taraba State and other rural states of Nigeria otherwise Somalia will be a child’s play.

“I ask every one of you to be alert and defend your country, defend your territory and defend your state. Defend yourselves because you have no other place to go. God bless our country.”

The call by the retired general came barely two days after residents of the Takum and Ussa Local Government Areas of Taraba State accused the Army Operation Ayem Akpatuma (Cat Race) of providing cover for the killer herdsmen to attack and kill villagers in the areas.

The Chairman of Takum, Shiban Tikari, and his Ussa counterpart, Rimansikwe Karma, had, on Thursday, while conducting journalists round the villages attacked by herdsmen in their LGAs, accused the operatives of Operation Cat Race, currently going on in the state, of brutality, extortion and providing cover for herdsmen to kill the locals.

Also, at the convocation, the state governor, Darius Ishaku, expressed delight at the growth of the university within 10 years of its establishment.

Ishaku commended the founding fathers of the institution for their foresight in bringing university education to the doorsteps of Taraba people and pledged to continue to support the university to attain a world-class status.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Vincent Tenebe, hailed the state government for its continued support for the rapid growth of the institution, congratulating the 5, 900 graduating students from the first five sets of the university.

Tenebe urged them to be good ambassadors of the institution.

The occasion witnessed the conferment of honorary doctorate on Danjuma; a former minister of the Federal Capital territory, Senator Jeremiah Useni; and Ishaku.

Others were the Chairman of Tony Elumelu Foundation, Mr. Tony Elumelu, and a former Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Prof. Suleiman Bogoro.

Danjuma had, earlier in the day, inaugurated the 6.75km township network of roads in Jalingo, the state capital, constructed by the Ishaku administration.

Meanwhile, two Middle Belt groups and the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, have supported Danjuma’s call on Nigerians to defend themselves against killers.

The President, Middle Belt Youth Council, Emma Zopmal, said Danjuma’s words should be taken seriously.

He stated, “For him (Danjuma) to speak about the herdsmen’s killings in Nigeria at this point in time, it means the situation must be getting out of hand due to the negligence of the government or its interest in the enterprise of killings.

“With his strategic position in the world today, every bit of his words should be taken more seriously. I also do not think that this is the first time he is advising Nigerians to be careful with the situation of Fulani herdsmen killings.”

On his part, President, National Council of Tiv Youths, Chief John Akperashi, said Danjuma’s indictment of the military should be taken seriously.

He stated, “By this therefore, the security establishments, especially the military, should be conscious of the reality that it (military) is getting unpopular and Nigerians are fast losing hopes in its capacity to protect and secure both the citizens and entity.”

He however said it was not only Taraba State that was under attack.

The youth leader added, “The entire Benue valley is endangered and there is an orchestrated, premeditated, sponsored and coordinated agenda to overrun the Benue valley through very dehumanising and mind-boggling, demented schemes for which he, Danjuma, should be aware.”

Afenifere agreed with the retired general that the killings were as part of “an ethnic cleansing agenda” which it stated that the people must resist.

Afenifere spokesman, Yinka Odumakin, said, “T. Y. Danjuma has said the truth. If the government cannot defend the people, the people should defend themselves. When you have an IG, who, instead of disarming herdsmen who are carrying weapons, is asking those defending themselves to submit their own arms, that shows clearly that there is an ethnic cleansing agenda and Gen. Danjuma is right in observing it.”

Security agencies must respond to allegation — PDP

The PDP spokesperson, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, says the party will not react now.

He said the security agencies must be asked to talk on the allegation.

No comments, says APC

Also, the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said, “I have no comments.”

Military will investigate, punish culpable soldiers, says DHQ

Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters, said, on Saturday, that it would investigate the allegations made by Danjuma and punish any soldier found to be involved in such “unprofessional conduct.”

The Director, Defence Information, Brig. Gen. John Agim, told one of our correspondents that the military would not condone “anybody that sabotages its efforts.”

Agim stated, “Gen. Danjuma is a very respected citizen. If he made that allegation, certainly the military will find out and investigate that claim. And anybody found guilty will be punished accordingly.

“The military has never been known to hide anybody that sabotages the efforts of the military. So, if it is found to be true, such person will be punished. We won’t keep quiet or hide anyone.”

Dapchi Girls: Parents Disagree With FG On Return Of Girls Back To Dapchi Sciil

The parents of the released Dapchi schoolgirls and the Federal Government may be set for a showdown on the plan of the government to send the released schoolgirls to continue their education at the Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State.

While the parents have vowed that their daughters would not return to the GGSTC, Dapchi, to continue their education, the Federal Government insisted the girls would resume normal academic activities this week in the school where the girls were abducted on February 19.

Boko Haram terrorists had released the girls dramatically on Wednesday in Dapchi while they were brought to Abuja to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday.

Five of the 110 girls, abducted on February 19, reportedly died of shock on the day of their abduction while one, Leah Sharibu, who was said to have refused to renounce Christianity, is still being held by the Islamic insurgents.

The Secretary, Abducted Dapchi Girls’ Parents Association, Mallam Bukar Kachalla, disclosed the parents’ position on Saturday.

According to him, the parents have resolved to relocate the girls because they have lost confidence in the security arrangements in the town and the determination of the parents not to further put the lives of the girls in danger.

The parents’ position emerged a day after the Vice-Chancellor of Nigeria Turkish Nile University, Prof. Huseyin Sert, offered to award scholarships to the schoolgirls to pursue their education.

But the Federal Government said the freed girls would return to Dapchi and continue their education at the GGSTC this week.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who stated this in an interview with one of our correspondents in Abuja on Saturday, also allayed the fears of parents concerning the schoolgirls.

But Kachalla stated, “We have decided that none of the girls released will go back to the school even if the government provides all the security in the world in the school.

“Our resolve is predicated on the fact that we have been having security (presence) in Dapchi for the past five years, but the security (operatives) were suddenly withdrawn; and 21days after, the town was attacked and the girls were abducted.

“Now, what kind of assurance do we have that even if they (government) provide security, they will still not withdraw it someday? So, we cannot afford to risk the lives of the girls again.”

On the tension in Dapchi following the news that the remaining girl being held in captivity by Boko Haram on religious ground, Miss Leah Sharibu, will be brought back, Kachalla blamed the military for the tension.

He said, “We got news again that Boko Haram (terrorists) were bringing the remaining girl and we were happy as usual, only for the military to cordon off the place where the insurgents dropped the other girls on Wednesday.

“They are preventing people from moving freely along the main road which passes through Dapchi to Yunusari and Niger Republic.

“We are told they want to engage the insurgents in crossfire when they bring the girl and that is what is causing tension in the town. Why would they want to engage the insurgents? Do they want to risk the life of the remaining girl?

“There is a heavy presence of security in and out of Dapchi – from the entry, there is security checkpoints up to the police station. There is also heavy security presence around the school area and movement of people have been restricted and people are really afraid.”

Leah, abducted alongside other 109 girls on February 19, was not among the girls released on Wednesday on the ground that she refused to renounce her Christian faith and wear hijab despite the pressure by her abductors.

Also, Yahaya Tarbutu and Aisha Bukar, two of the parents of the recently released Dapchi schoolgirls, said their daughters narrated bitter-sweet experiences to them after they were returned by the Boko Haram terrorists to the town.

Tarbutu, a 45-year-old farmer, who has two daughters and one niece among the rescued schoolgirls, said that his daughters would never return to the GGSTC.

The daughters are Fatima Tarbutu, 13; Amina Tarbutu, 14; and the niece, 15-year-old Maryam Ahmed.

The father added, “I saw all my three girls among the rescued girls. We spoke and they said they were very fine. One of my daughters has rashes on her hands and on her legs. They were taken to Damaturu, and then to Maiduguri, and then flown by an aircraft to Abuja.

“The girls are not back from Abuja. We are still expecting them in Dapchi. I’m not taking my girls back to that school where they were abducted. I’m going to change their school as soon as they come back. I don’t want to disclose the school where I’m taking them to.”

When asked if her girls had shared how the Boko Haram militants treated them, Tarbutu said, “We, the parents, didn’t have too much time to discuss with them. On how we found them, they (the terrorists) just brought them into town and left them beside the road. There was no police or army around at all. By the time I was going to my station in Geidam, somebody told me that he heard that some abducted girls had been returned to the town.

“We were the ones who took our girls to a hospital before they were taken to Damaturu.”

Another parent, 35-year-old Bukar said her daughter said the insurgents did not attack any of the girls. She said her daughter cried on her shoulders while she was also weeping.

Bukar said, “I am very happy. I took my daughter home where she had her bath. I then took her to a hospital. She said she was fine and no harm was done to her. There was no ailment on her, but she was very dirty. Her clothes were very dirty. She cried seriously when she saw me.”

But the Federal Government has dismissed the threat by Boko Haram members warning girls in Dapchi against returning to school.

The government said efforts were being made to return the recently released 104 students of the GGSTC to their town and school.

Mohammed said the girls might leave Abuja for Yobe on Sunday (today) in preparation for the resumption of academic activities in their school where they were abducted on February 19, 2018.

The information minister added, “We are not withdrawing the girls from their school. To the best of my knowledge, there is no plan to change their school. They are returning to their school where they will continue with their education.

“They are also likely going to leave Abuja tomorrow (today) as everything has been done to ensure their safety and the safety of others.”

Schoolgirls’ parents urge FG to secure Leah’s release

Also, parents of the released Dapchi schoolgirls have asked the Federal Government to ensure the unconditional release of Sharibu by the insurgents.

The Secretary of the ADGPA, Kachalla, told SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday that no effort should be spared in ensuring the release of the remaining girl.

Kachala stated, “We want to thank Almighty Allah as well as Christians and Muslims across the country who devoted time to pray for the release of the girls. The prayers really worked and today, our tears have been wiped off. This was what all of us were looking forward to.

“My daughter, Aisha Kachalla, is among the girls taken to Abuja. We want to thank President Buhari for keeping to his words that our girls would be released to us. We are really happy.”

The District Head of Dapchi, Alhaji Kachalla Kamba, who spoke through his son, Ibrahim Kachalla, told one of our correspondents that the Dapchi community was overwhelmed with joy over the release of the girls.

He commended the Federal Government and the international community for their roles in ensuring the release of the girls.

Another parent, Alhaji Adamu Kontoma, also appreciated God for the safe return of the girls and called on the Federal Government to maintain security in schools in the region to give students confidence to pursue western education.

He said, “I want to thank all those who helped in one way or the other for the safe return of our girls especially President Muhammadu Buhari for all he did towards their release.

“For those that died, we pray that Allah will grant them rest and fair judgment. It is a thing of joy that most of the girls are now back and we thank everyone who contributed to this good news.

“We were crying, but today, most parents are laughing and are happy for the release of the girls. We are indeed very happy.”

Chibok Girls’ Parent Cry Out To Obasanjo For Help

No fewer than 30 parents of yet-to-return Chibok girls had arrived the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, to visit a former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

The dreaded Boko Haram sect had invaded Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State and took away 276 pupils on April 14, 2014.

Some of the girls had regained their freedom while others are yet to be released by the terrorists.

The parents had appealed to Obasanjo to use his regional and global influence and work with the federal government to ensure their daughters were also released to reunite with them.

They added that this call became necessary as many of the Dapchi girls had been released by their abductors.

Details later. (PUNCH)

Police Plan To Establish Ordinance Training School in Maiduguri

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, yesterday disclosed that the Police plan to establish an Explosive Ordinance Training School in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, to train more personnel to address life-threatening issues relating to explosive ordinance handling and safe detonations.
Idris disclosed this during an emergency visit to Borno, one of the states facing Boko Haram insurgency for about nine years.

The IGP also pledged that schools in the northeast are to have four policemen each to protect students’ and pupils’ lives.

He gave the assurance during his visit to Government College and Yerwa Government Girls College, both in Maiduguri.

“The idea of establishing this school was to overcome the challenges of explosive ordinance handling and safe detonations in the frontlines of counter-insurgency and terrorism operations in the northeast.

“The school is to groom more personnel to deal with issues relating to explosive ordinances handling, within and outside the country,” he said.

While addressing Police officers and men in the state, Idris said the Force was also rebuilding and re-equipping the Police Mobile Training School at Limankara village in Gwoza Council and had already deployed additional sniffer dogs to assist the men protecting the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) and the Muna-Garage area, which had faced incessant suicide bomb attacks.

The Police chief commended the dedication and loyalty of the policemen and urged them to do more for the security and harmony in Borno and the northeast region.

The state Commissioner of Police, Damian Chukwu, listed some of the problems facing the command to include accommodation and transit camps for personnel on transfer and special duty and inadequate work equipment and allowances of the policemen.

On how to secure schools, he said: “Adequate deployment of policemen has been made for schools, IDPs camps and other vulnerable locations across the state.”

Read More: IGP Idris orders immediate withdrawal of police officers from VIPs, others

Assuring the Police determination to end the spate of kidnappings in the region, he said:
“Yerwa Government Girls College, which has a higher students’ population, now has 10 policemen to protect lives and property.”

He explained that five female and five male officers, whose details of attachments and postings would be made public, are to be posted to the Girls College.

He appealed to both students and managers of the schools to cooperate with the policemen attached to their schools by reporting all suspicious characters for immediate action.

Idris warned: “All of you should shun all social vices and be law-abiding to avoid jeopardising students’ future.”

He also donated 20 bags of rice and a cow to the students of Government College.

Principals of Government College, Abba Gana, and Government Girls College, Bintu Abakura, commended the Police chief for the visit to assess security in Borno schools.

They assured him of their support by reporting all suspicious cases to the Police for prompt action save lives and property.

Buhari Warns Fortune-Making Politicians From Abduction

President Muhammadu Buhari has warned that security agencies would deal severely with those he described as “unscrupulous characters” who make political fortune out of schoolgirls’ abductions in the country.

Receiving 107 schoolgirls and two primary school pupils from Dapchi, Yobe State, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday, the President also threatened that any security chief who approaches his assigned task with levity, giving room for lapses, would be dealt with.

The President insisted that Boko Haram insurgents released the Dapchi schoolgirls on Wednesday, unconditionally, after painstaking back channel negotiations, saying government opted for negotiations because it did not want any of the captives to be hurt, adding that the strategy had paid off with their release.

While also appealing to the Chibok community never to lose hope or despair, Buhari said his administration was determined to bring back the remaining Chibok schoolgirls still being held by their abductors.

He also urged insurgents operating in the northeast to cease hostilities and surrender, stating that his government was ready to accept the unconditional laying down of arms by members of the Boko Haram group who show strong commitment to do so.

“We are ready to rehabilitate and integrate such repentant members into the larger society. This country has suffered enough of hostility.

“Government is, therefore, appealing to all to embrace peace for the overall development of our people and the country.

“I have tasked all the security agencies to work to ensure that we do not witness any recurrence of these incidents. Security chiefs have been warned, in clear terms, that any lapse on their part will be viewed seriously.

“May I also warn those elements who have chosen to make political fortune of our citizens’ misfortune that government would not tolerate any attempt by any person or group to trivialise or politicise security issues for politically-motivated ends.

“Accordingly, security agencies would not hesitate to decisively deal with such unscrupulous characters,” he said.

Handing over the distraught schoolgirls, Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, told the President that the negative impact of social media and what ordinarily should be a classified operation, as well as the utterances of some government officials, who were not competent to comment on the issues, posed challenges that almost marred the effort to secure the release of the schoolgirls.

Daura, however, said despite these challenges, the DSS managed to successfully conclude the operation, leading to the release of the abducted Dapchi schoolgirls, in line with the clear directive to use peaceful options to ensure their timely and safe release.

He said: “The exercise was arduous and quite challenging. The sensitivity of the operation and some uncertainties surrounding it, particularly routes to be used, nature of transportation, realisation and concern that the girls were not kept at one place, issues of encountering military checkpoints within the theatre and indeed keeping the operation on strictly the “Principles of Need-to-Know,” made the whole exercise more complicating.”

He added that beyond the release of the abducted girls, the DSS primary interest for engaging in the dialogue was informed by certain professional considerations, including permanent, possible cessation of hostilities, discussing the fate of the arrested insurgents and innocent Nigerian citizens being held hostage and possibility of granting amnesty to repentant insurgents.

“These presently seem problematic, because the insurgents are factionalised, while holding various spheres of influence in their guerrilla controlled enclaves,” he added.

Giving further insight into what transpired during the negotiations, the DSS boss said: “The insurgents’ only condition was their demand for cessation of hostilities and temporary ceasefire to enable them return the girls at the point they picked them.

“They required assurance that the government security forces would keep to this.”

Daura also revealed that the released Dapchi schoolgirls were taken into the DSS medical facility and put through programmes to give them mental stability and they have been given psychological and mental evaluation conducted by trained specialists.

“About four of them, who were discovered to have broken limbs, were sent for X-ray. Almost all of them had one skin infection or the other, having not taken bath for over a month.

“They have been medically examined and those with ailments were treated. The measures are to ensure that they are in good health.

‘The girls, including four representatives of their school, the Principal and Vice, as well as their parents, were brought into the medical facility as part of measures to relief tension and anxiety.

“The presence of these representatives have further re-assured and stabilised the girls,” he added.

On the way forward, the DSS boss suggested that efforts be sustained by the federal government towards ensuring the release of all abducted persons in the northeast theatre of operation, stressing the need to improve the strategic plan for the safety of schools in vulnerable locations, using all available national assets, improve on the coordination efforts amongst security agencies to avoid future incidents and expand the current dialogue towards conflict mitigation and resolution, with a view to getting an everlasting peace for the entire sub-region.

Meanwhile, the rescued girls yesterday arrived the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where they were received by waiting Presidency officials.

Also handed over to the President yesterday were two additional young pupils- Hafsat Haruna, 11, and Mala Maina Bukar, 13- both primary six pupils.

Daura said six of the Dapchi schoolgirls were yet to be accounted for, but assured that there was ongoing dialogue to have them released too.

Others on hand to witness the handover of the released captives were the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj-Gen. Babagana Mongunu (rtd); Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Gabriel Olonishakin; Minister of Defence, Brig-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd); Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.

Also present were Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha; Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami; Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed and Minister of Interior, Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazau (rtd).

Boko Haram members stormed the Government Girls Science Technical College (GGSTC), Dapchi, on February 19 and abducted about 110 students from the school.