The 110 students of Government Girls Science Technical College (GGSTC), Dapchi, Yobe State, kidnapped by the terrorists group, Boko Haram, will soon be rescued.
The girls were abducted on February 19.
The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, gave the assurance on Saturday during a Channels television programme.
According to him, the government had committed everything necessary to ensure their rescue and there were indications that they would soon be rescued.
Although he could not state the specific time, he was very optimistic that the girls would soon return to reunite with their families.
“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…
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“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,” he said.
President Muhammadu Buhari had also given a similar indication when he visited Yobe State to console the government and people of the state over the abduction of the girls.
Speaking during his visit on Wednesday, he assured Nigerians and the international community that the missing 110 Dapchi girls would be rescued or released.
At the meeting held in Government House,Yobe, attended by government officials, security and intelligence chiefs, community and religious leaders, President Buhari recounted recent successes recorded by his administration in rescuing Boko Haram hostages.
Citing the release of more than 100 Chibok girls, University of Maiduguri lecturers, some women police personnel, students and an NYSC member, the president declared: “I have no doubt that the Dapchi girls will be rescued or released. I want to reassure parents, Nigerians and the international community that we will do all that is within our power to make sure that the girls are brought back safely to their families.”
President Buhari told the gathering that the federal government was partnering with the international community including Nigeria’s immediate neighbours to ensure the safe return of the girls.
<
p style=”font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;”>‘‘Just recently, I reiterated our resolve to negotiate for the unconditional release of the girls.
<
p style=”font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;”>‘‘This is borne out of this administration’s conviction that doing so is safer devoid of risks and will not endanger the lives of our young girls who are in harm’s way.
‘‘There will be no rest till the last girl, whether from Chibok and Dapchi, is released. The girls, like all our citizens, must enjoy unhindered freedom and pursue their legitimate aspirations.
‘‘The Dapchi and Chibok students are our girls and must enjoy our protection. They must live to achieve their individual ambitions, to be great women of tomorrow. It is our duty to protect them,” he said.
Also, the president warned that anyone found to be negligent leading to the abductions would be punished in accordance with the law.
“The federal government has set up a 12-member committee to unravel the circumstances surrounding the abduction of the students.
<
p style=”font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;”>‘‘The membership of the committee was drawn from among security agencies and local residents. It is my hope that any agency, person or group found to have been negligent or culpable in the abduction of the girls will be punished in accordance with the law,” he said.
Enumerating several steps so far taken in the search and rescue of the missing girls, the president described the efforts as the best in the given circumstances, adding that it was a marked departure from the attitude of the preceding administration when 276 Chibok schoolgirls were abducted.
