Dapchi girls: Reps issue warning to federal government

- Following the abduction of 110 schoolgirls, ad hoc committee has been set up by the House of Reps to visit Dapchi

- The lawmakers called for increased security in the northeast region to avoid further abduction

- They also called on the federal government to mobilise every security apparatus to rescue the students as soon as possible

The House of Representatives on Tuesday, February 27, set up an ad hoc committee to visit Dapchi in Yobe to assess the issues surrounding recent abduction of 105 girls from a school in the community.

The House also urged the Federal Government to guard against further abduction and insecurity in the North-East.

This was sequel to a motion under Matters of Urgent National Importance moved by Rep. Goni Lawan (Yobe-APC).

Moving the motion, Lawan noted that in 2014, 58 male students of College of Agriculture, Buni Yadi in Yobe state were mowed down in cold blood in their sleep.

He said that at various times in Yobe, abduction of school children, many of which were not reported, had been carried out by the insurgents.

“At those times, the attack often resulted in destruction of lives of innocent citizens of which their greatest offence was to have education.

“These unfortunate incidents had since been going on not only in Yobe, but in various parts of the North-East, especially Borno and Adamawa, without any proactive measures in place to forestall further occurrences,” he said.

Lawan expressed worry that a week to the attack in Dapchi, there was no presence of any military operative in any of the check points leading to the community and the school in particular.

He added that this was in spite of the volatile situation in Yobe as one of the hotbeds of Boko Haram operation.

The motion was unanimously adopted by members when it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara.

The House also urged the Federal Government to mobilise every security apparatus, including the Army, Air Force, Department of State Security (DSS) and other agencies to rescue the students as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, the federal government set up a 12-member committee to unravel the circumstances surrounding the abduction of 110 students of the Government Girls Science and Technical College (GGSTC) in Dapchi, Yobe state, a statement from Lai Mohammed, the information minister, has said.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigeria’s #1 new app

The panel followed the government's confirmation that 110 students of the school were abducted on February 19, 2018.

The committee, according to the statement, was convened by the National Security Adviser Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd).

Smartphones giveaway. Hurry up! 1 week until winner announced – on NAIJ.com TV