The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, has stated that the
federal government lacks the accurate figure of missing secondary
schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram members in Dapchi, Yobe State.
Speaking during a visit to the community on Thursday, the minister
said the number had become a mystery due to the nature of the attack on
the school.
He said when the terrorists were approaching the school, the principal asked the pupils to run to safety.
Mohammed
said: “Since the incident happened , the army and other security
agencies have swung into action and have been combing every nook and
cranny . So far , we cannot say the number of people that are missing
because people are still reporting or calling that they are safe.
“We will need a few more days so we can give an exact figure of those
missing. I was at Dapchi and I held meetings with the Governor of Yobe,
the Commander of Operation Lafia Dole and the General Officer
Commanding of the army formation in Damaturu.
“They confirmed that Boko Haram members came to town and the
principal asked the students to leave the school but when the roll –
call was conducted later, quite a number of pupils could not be
accounted for.
“The town crier and others went out and since then, the pupils have
been trooping in. So, we cannot say the number of people missing. I am
in touch with the security agencies; I will update you.”