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Tag: Schoolgirls

  • Shooting disrupts reunion of freed Zamfara schoolgirls with parents

    Shooting disrupts reunion of freed Zamfara schoolgirls with parents

    All the 279 Zamfara schoolgirls released by kidnappers this week were on Wednesday reunited with their parents, in an emotional event overshadowed by chaos and shooting by security forces.

    According to a AFP reporter who witnessed the handing over, mobs began throwing stones at officials outside the school in the remote village of Jangebe when the girls were returned after officials’ insisted on a formal handover before parents could leave with their children.

    One person was shot in the stomach when security personnel opened fire and was carried away by others in the crowd.

    “Four people have been shot dead in the confusion,” Jangebe resident Bello Gidan-Ruwa told AFP by phone after leaving the village.

    The tally could not immediately be confirmed with official sources.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG recalls that the school girls were abducted on Friday from their hostels by gunmen but released them early Tuesday.

    Since their release, the students had been in government care in state capital Gusau, receiving medical treatment before being returned to the school to be handed over to their parents.

    There were tears and hugs from parents and relations as the girls arrived in buses, but officials and security personnel insisted on ushering the children into the dining hall.

    Anxious parents were outraged by officials’ insistence that the girls must be handed over to the local chief of Anka district, Attahiru Ahmad Anka.

    “It is infuriating for (officials) to say they had to finish their speeches before handing over our children to us. This is outrageous,” one mother told AFP as she led her daughter away.

    “They know the roads are insecure but they didn’t care. If we leave late and are kidnapped with our daughters again, the girls’ rescue will make no sense.”

    There was chaos in the hall as parents grabbed their children and stormed out to the consternation of the officials.

    Shooting by the security forces began when the crowd began pelting a convoy carrying regional parliament speaker Nasiru Mu’azu Magarya with stones as it tried to leave the village.

    Despite the chaos, the girls and parents were happy for their release.

    “I’m extremely happy to have been rescued from our captors,” Aisha Jamilu, a student, told AFP.

    “I thank God for saving us from them. It was a horrifying experience I will never forget.”

    She added that she would leave up to her parents the question of whether to resume her studies and run the risk of a second kidnapping.

    “Even if I don’t go back to the same school I can be transferred to another one,” Jamilu said.

    Muhammad Sani, father to two of the girls, said he was “delighted” to see his daughters again.

    “I can’t say express how happy I’m. I didn’t cry when the girls were kidnapped but I couldn’t hold my tears when I saw them today. They were tears of joy.”

  • BREAKING: 279 Zamfara school girls released [Photos]

    BREAKING: 279 Zamfara school girls released [Photos]

    Verified information teaching TheNewsGuru.com, TNG now has it that the 279 abducted Zamfara school girls have been released.

    The students arrived Government House, Gusau, at about 4a.m. on Tuesday.

    The release was confirmed by Governor Bello Matawalle via his official Twitter handle @BelloMatawalle1.

    Details later…

  • Zamfara govt: ‘Abducted schoolgirls not released, negotiation still ongoing’

    Zamfara govt: ‘Abducted schoolgirls not released, negotiation still ongoing’

    Zamfara State government has debunked reports that students abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State, have been released by their captors.

    Reacting to the reports on Twitter, Zamfara’s Commissioner for Information, Suleiman Tunau Anka, cautioned the public to disregard fake news in the media regarding the released of abducted students of GGSS Jangebe.

    Similarly, Yusuf Idris, media aide to Governor Bello Matawalle, told newsmen on Sunday that efforts were still ongoing to secure their release.

    He made the clarification following media reports that the girls had regained freedom.

    Idris said: “I want to call the attention of the good people of Zamfara State, they should disregard any fake news regarding the release of the abducted students of GGSS Jangebe by one national daily. It’s not true. But, Alhamdulillah, the state government and securities are their trying their best,” he said in a short message he made available to our reporter.

    The governor’s spokesperson, Mr Idris, also urged the public to ignore the media reports that the students had been released, calling on the parents and residents of the state to pray for the safe return of the students.

    “The state government is committed for safe return of the students sooner or later, we should please exercise patience,” the official said.

  • Photo: Army rescues six kidnapped schoolgirls in Kaduna

    Photo: Army rescues six kidnapped schoolgirls in Kaduna

    Troops of Operation Thunder Strike rescued on Thursday six female students of Government Day Secondary School Gwagwada in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

    The girls were abducted same day on their way to school and are different from another set of six schoolgirls of Engravers’ College abducted on October 3 in Kaduna, along with a teacher and matron.

    The Deputy Director Public Relations of 1Division Nigeria Army Kaduna, Col. Ezindu Idimah said three motor boys were rescued while four suspected bandits were neutralised by the troops.

    “The Troops who were on routine patrol in the general area received information from a reliable source that some bandits terrorizing the Abuja-Kaduna highway have waylaid some students on their way to school and abducted them.

    “Troops immediately swung into action and gave the bandits a hot chase.

    “On sighting the troops, the bandits engaged them in a firefight but had to surrender to the superior firepower of the troops.

    “Following the firefight, one of the bandits was neutralized while the rest scampered into different directions of the forest with gun shot wounds.”

    He explained that all the students abducted by the bandits were rescued safely and re-united with their families.

    Idimah added that one AK47 rifle with seven rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and a pump action gun with ten cartridges were recovered by the troops.

    According to him, the troops are currently combing the entire forest in search of the bandits.

    “In a related development, troops also dealt decisively with bandits in an ambush at Soho Gaya in Chikun Local Government Area at about 10 am this morning.

    “During the ambush, two bandits were neutralized while one rifle was recovered.

    “Additionally, at about 10:45am, troops pursued bandits into one of the forests in Chukun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

    “During the pursuit one of the bandits was neutralized while 2 AK 47 riffles, one pump action and 3 Magazines were recovered.

    “The success recorded has buoyed up troops morale who expressed enthusiasm in sustaining the onslaught against the bandits and other criminal elements within the Division Area of Responsibility,” Idimah stated.

    He added that the General Officer Commanding the Division, Maj.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya has commended the efforts of the troops and urged them to continue to pursue and neutralize bandits in 1 Division area of responsibility.

    He urged the general public to report anybody with gun wound to security agents around them.

  • How we negotiated release of Dapchi schoolgirls from Boko Haram’s captivity – DSS

    The Director General of Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura on Friday narrated how the Service negotiated and secured the release of 105 out of the 111 girls abducted from a secondary school in Dapchi, Yobe State on February 19.

    Daura, who spoke when President Muhammadu Buhari received the released girls at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja also disclosed that six of the abducted girls were yet to be accounted for.

    According to him, two pupils of Dapchi primary school were also released with the 105 secondary school girls on Wednesday.

    Daura, who formally presented the released girls to President Buhari, said: “I wish to inform Mr. President that I05 out of 111 female students abducted from the Government Girls’ Science Technical College, Dapchi on 19 February, 2018 were released two days ago, following painstaking backchannel dialogue with their abductors.

    “However, before you today, Mr. President, are two additional young primary school pupils, namely Hafsat Haruna, an 11-year-old primary six pupil, and Mala Maina Bukar, 13 years old and also a primary six pupil.

    “The remaining six Dapchi girls are yet to be accounted for, and dialogue on these students is still ongoing.”

    Recalling the negotiation process that led to their release, he said: “It may be recalled that the President had given a clear directive to security agencies to use peaceful options to ensure the timely and safe release of the girls.

    “What followed were intense behind-the-scene dialogue spearheaded by the Department of State Services.

    “The insurgents’ only condition was their demands for cessation of hostilities and temporary ceasefire to enable them return the girls at the point they picked them.

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

    “The exercise was arduous and quite challenging. The sensitivity of the operation and some uncertainties surrounding it, particularly the routes to be used, nature of transportation, realization and concern that the girls were not kept at one place, issues of encountering military checkpoints within the theater and indeed keeping the operation on strictly the “principles of need-to-know” made the whole exercise more complicating.

    “Beyond the release of the abducted girls, our primary interest for engaging in the dialogue was informed by the following: 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.

    “The negative impact of social media on otherwise classified operations and, of course, some of the utterances of the government functionaries who were not competent to comment on the issues, posed challenges that almost marred the rescue efforts.”

    Despite the challenges, he said, the Service managed to successfully conclude the operation leading to the release of the schoolgirls.

    On the state of the girls and medical care, he said: “On release, the victims were taken into the DSS medical facility and are put through programmes to give them mental stability.

    “As such, they are given psychological mental evaluation conducted by trained specialists.

    “About four of them were discovered to have broken limbs and 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.”

    Speaking on the family access to the girls, he said: “The girls, including four representatives of their school as well as their parents were brought into the medical facility as part of measures to relieve tension and anxiety.

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

    Suggesting the way forward, Daura said: “Mr. President, in view of the nation’s experience through these years of insurgency, it is humbly suggested that efforts be sustained towards:

    1. Ensuring the release of all abducted persons in the North East Theatre of Operation
    2. Improve the strategic plan for the safety of schools in vulnerable locations, using all available national assets.

    iii. Improve on the coordination efforts amongst security agencies to avoid future incidents.

    1. Expand the current dialogue towards conflict mitigation and resolution, with a view to getting an everlasting peace for the entire sub-region.”

    He said that the feat so far recorded in the release of the victims was a clear example of collaboration among security agencies.

    He said: “First, let me express our profound appreciation to Mr. President for his direction and maximum support throughout the process of this dialogue.

    “Also, I wish to acknowledge the contributions and sacrifices of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Police, our friendly neighbours and international partners who have played key roles in our determination to rid our beloved country of the menace of terrorism.”

  • DSS not military negotiated release of Dapchi schoolgirls – DHQ

    The Defence Headquarters has said the military were not involved in the negotiations leading to the release of 104 out of the 110 girls abducted by Boko Haram insurgents in Dapchi, Yobe state.

    The Acting Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen John Agim said in a text message that the Department of State Services, (DSS) , led the negotiations for the release of the girls.

    Following series of enquiries from the Defence Headquarters on the role of the Military regarding the release of the girls in the early hours of Wednesday, Brig. Gen Agim responded via a text message saying “the girls were released through negotiations led by the Department of State Services (DSS)”

    Recall that the girls were abducted in their hostels at Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State by the Boko Haram insurgents on Monday 19, February 2018. They were however released on Wednesday (yesterday) following mass appeals and negotiations nationally and internationally.

     

  • UPDATED: FG confirms release of 101 Dapchi schoolgirls

    The Federal Government says the number of Dapchi schoolgirls released on Wednesday has increased from 76 to 101, following the documentation of more of the freed girls by security agencies.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who gave the update in a statement issued in Abuja, said that the number could still increase as the documentation of the freed girls was ongoing.

    Mohammed had in an earlier statement confirmed the release of 76 of the 110 abducted students of Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe on Feb. 19.

    The minister said that the release of the schoolgirls was the outcome of the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari to all security agencies to do everything possible to secure the release of the schoolgirls

    He said the girls were released around 3 a.m. through back-channel efforts and with the help of some friends of the country, and that it was unconditional.

    ”For the release to work, the government had a clear understanding that violence and confrontation would not be the way out as it could endanger the lives of the girls, hence a non-violent approach was the preferred option.

    ”Within the period when the girls were being brought back, operational pause was observed in certain areas to ensure free passage and also that lives were not lost,” he said.

    The minister accompanied by minister of Interior, Abdurahman Dambazzau and minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hajia Khadija Bukar-Ibrahim were on their way to Maiduguri to meet with the freed girls.

  • UPDATED: Five dead as Boko Haram returns abducted 105 Dapchi schoolgirls

    Over 105 girls who were kidnapped from Government Girls Science and Technical College (GGSTC), Dapchi, located in Bulabulin, Yunusari Local Government area of Yobe State, have reportedly returned.

    “Nigerian Islamist militant group, Boko Haram today returned 105 girls kidnapped from a high school compound in Dapchi a few weeks ago….the militant group came with the girls in 9 vehicles same way they took them away.

    “There was confusion in the area as members of the community scampered into the bush as the terror group appeared in the area, first dropping off one the girls in a nearby village and then driving into the center of Dapchi town to drop off the rest of the girls.
    “Five of the girls are dead according to our source. It is not clear if the Nigerian government paid any ransom to get the girls released.” Sahara Reporters reports.

    Recall that the federal government recently assured that the Dapchi schoolgirls will soon regain freedom.

    According to the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, gave the assurance during an interview session on Dateline Abuja, a Channels Television’s programme.

    He said: “It can be earlier; maybe a week, it can be two weeks, but we are on it, and I’m telling you with all sense of sincerity that we are closing in on them”.

    “We have dispatched all the surveillance devices we have in terms of air, human resource, intelligence, and other forces that needed to be in place by all possible means and we have made sure that all that’s needed is being done to see that these girls are being found, wherever they are.”

    Dan-Ali was also confident that the girls would return in the shortest time owing to the intelligence at the government’s disposal, though he could not say the exact time when this would be.

    A faction of Boko Haram is believed to have kidnapped students of Government Girls Science Technical College (GGSTC), Dapchi, in Yobe State on February 19.

  • Dapchi, Chibok abduction: ‘Leave our Girls alone!’ Aisha Buhari tells Boko Haram insurgents

    Wife of the President Mrs Aisha Buhari says she shares in the sorrow and agony of parents of all abducted girls in the country.

    Mrs Buhari said that she shared the agony of especially parents of the abducted Chibok and Dapchi school girls.

    She expressed the concern in Abuja on Thursday while delivering a speech she titled: “Leave Our Daughters Alone’’, to mark the 2018 International Women`s Day.

    “As a mother, I share (in) the sorrow and agony which the parents are going through up to this moment.

    “I am aware of the efforts being made for the release of the remaining Chibok girls as well as the recently (abducted) Dapchi girls.

    “It is my sincere hope that the efforts will yield positive results.”

    The wife of the President said that the abductions had further exposed the long-standing evil perpetrated against women in the society.

    She, therefore, called on relevant stakeholders, especially the media, to stand against the “disturbing issue’’.

    “It is a disturbing issue for which we must put heads together, pray, speak out, show concern and ensure that the situation come an end.’’

    She, therefore, called on Nigerians, especially the media to join the campaign against all forms of abduction and maltreatment of the Nigerian woman.

    Mrs Buhari said it was unfortunate that celebration of the 2018 International women`s day came with pains and agony following the abduction of the Dapchi School girls.

    She also expressed concern over the use of young girls by insurgents to carry out suicide bombing.

    She, however, congratulated Nigerian women for successfully marking the Day and prayed for greater opportunities for the Nigerian woman.

    The wife of the president also prayed for Nigerian women to have equal opportunities in governance as their male counterparts.

    In her remark, the wife of Vice-President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, said the 2018 event came in a very happy and worst situation considering the progress made by Nigerian team at the winter Olympic as well as the abduction of the Dapchi girls.

    Mrs Osinbajo also called for equal opportunity to the women.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the United Nations set aside March 8, of every year to mark the International women`s day.

    The event was organised by the National Centre for Women Development in collaboration with the wife of the President.

  • Yobe school attack: Over 105 girls still missing – Parents cry out

    Yobe school attack: Over 105 girls still missing – Parents cry out

    …submits names of missing girls to state government

    Parents of the abducted schoolgirls at Government Girls’ Science Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State have cried out that 105 of their children were still accounted for following the aftermath of the invasion by the Boko Haram sect on Monday.

    The names were personally submitted to the school’s authorities by the parents of the affected students, according to the Chairman, Forum of Parents of the missing Dapchi Girls, Mallam Bashir Manzo.

    Recall that Governor Ibrahim Gaidam had earlier said 84 students were missing.

    The list contains name of each missing student, her local government area and telephone numbers of her parents.

    A mix of tension and mourning pervaded the community for the fifth day running yesterday when The Nation visited the area.

    Residents said it was clear from the behaviour of invaders on Monday that their mission was solely to abduct the students.

    Manzo said when the gunmen demanded that they be shown the way to the school, some residents tried to play a fast one on them and sent them in a wrong direction.

    However, the gunmen soon found out their destination when they heard the students shouting.

    Manzo, recalling the sequence of events on the fateful day, said: “On Monday, Boko Haram entered our town and started shouting. We just came out from Magrib prayers when the shooting started.

    “The shooting by Boko Haram sparked confusion at the school with everyone running helter-skelter.

    “When they came, they didn’t even know where the school was located. They came and asked some people to show them the girls’ school.

    “The first person they asked to show them the school took them to Central Primary School.

    “They eventually found out the girls’ school when the students were screaming and trying to jump over the fence in a bid to escape.

    “They rounded up as many girls as they could lay their hands on and packed them into their vehicles.

    “They then escaped.

    “The following day, the school authorities took a roll call of children in the school, but they did not give us the figure.

    “The list we have here is from the parents that came themselves and reported that they had not seen their children up till this moment (yesterday).

    “When a parent comes, he gives us his name himself, the name of his child, his town, local government area and his phone number. We are not collating these names by any phone call or text message. You have to come yourself and give your name and the name of your daughter that is missing, otherwise, we will not accept anything short of that.

    “The list we have got now is one hundred and five students that have not been found up till today (yesterday).

    “We had a report that these children were found at Gaidam and people celebrated. We even gathered that the children would be handed over to the governor here in Dapchi.

    “When the governor came, we were gathered at the house of the District Head and the governor told us that none of the girls had been rescued. The governor said he was not sure whether our children are in Boko Haram’s captivity, but we are sure that Boko Haram took our children. We have evidence.

    “When they took them (children), they were crying and screaming for help. They came through the Gumsa Road and went back on the same road.

    “Residents of villages along that road heard the children crying and screaming in the vehicles.

    “In one of the villages, residents overheard the insurgents saying they needed to tie the children well so that they won’t escape.

    “We are calling on those that would help us get back our children to help us. We are sure Boko Haram took our children. This one is an undisputable fact. That is the truth. We gave our children to the school authorities and so they should bring back our children. We will go as far as meeting President Buhari.

    “They only came to get the girls and not to do anything in this town.

    “We took the photographs of the store of the school and everything is intact. No single food item was removed.

    “We are not happy with the delegation of the Federal Government. They did not look for the principal or the parents of the missing girls or enter any office of the principal or a classroom in the school when they visited Dapchi.”

    Governor Gaidam, however, said that from the figures available to him, 84 students remain missing.

    He put the students’ population at 906 out of which 822 were marked present after the attack.

    Gaidam spoke on Friday when his Kano State counterpart, Abdullahi Ganduje paid him a visit in Damaturu.

    The Yobe governor expressed surprise that security men were unexpectedly withdrawn from the town a few hours before the attack.

    He said the attack is a major setback in the war against Boko Haram.