Rep: we have idea where abducted Dapchi girls are

Security agents searching for the 110 abducted Dapchi
schoolgirls got a clue yesterday.

A member of the House of Representatives said the girls were
still within Yobe State.

Rep Goni Bukar, representing Bursari/Yunusari/Gaidam Federal
Constituency, told The Nation in Damaturu, the state capital, that
the girls are in Bulabulin, Yunusari Local Government.

“The girls are within Yobe. We have an idea that they are in
Bulabulin, Yunusari Local Government. The military is aware that
Boko Haram has been in that place for over four years. They live in
that place like their own city,” Bukar said.

Speaking on the efforts of the military in the search for the
girls, Bukar said: “I cannot blame the military because I am
speaking with those that are carrying out the operation. We have
been speaking and they are telling me everything that they are
doing; so, I cannot say I will blame anybody in the military. They
are doing everything but I think they need to improve in their
search so as to rescue those girls.

“This issue is beyond the military that we have in Yobe … It is
not the issue of sending 10 policemen or 20 soldiers. It is a
matter of commitment. That is what we need. If they like, let them
give me the uniform and I will wear it and go and show them the
place. Even the day of the incident, the chairman, member, House of
Assembly and I went to Gumsa because we had information that three
of the girls died along the way and they were thrown away but it
was wrong information.”

The Defence Headquarters could not be reached for comment last
night.

The Forum of parents of the missing girls is planning to stage a
grand occupation of Damaturu , the Yobe State capital, to press the
government to intensify efforts in rescuing their daughters, but
are being financially constrained.

Manzo said: “We are going ahead with our plan to come to
Damaturu despite our financial difficulties. We need to mobilise
people to carry out our plan to visit Damaturu. But so far, all the
monies we have gathered as a group is going into the prayers that
we are organizing for the safe return of our daughters.”

There have been prayers for the release of the 110 abducted
pupils.

Participants at the ongoing 32nd National Quranic Recitation
Competition in Katsina yesterday prayed for the release of the
girls.

Dr Sani Abdullahi, Chairman of the Panel of Judges, led the
participants and spectators in the prayer before the morning
session of the competition.

Abdullahi prayed to Allah to protect the girls and return them
to their families unharmed.

He also prayed to the Almighty Allah to end the insurgency in
the Northeast, Zamfara and other parts of the country.

‘’Oh Allah, we pray to You to grant us peace in this country and
assist these abducted school girls and prevent future occurrence,’’
Abdullahi prayed.

The Dapchi community has mobilised over 300 clerics, who are
praying non-stop for the girls’ return.

The clerics, who are drawn from Dapchi and other neigbouring
villages, will not stop praying until the return of the girls,
Bukar said in Damaturu yesterday.

”We have gathered all the Ulamas in Dapchi into one mosque and
gave them every support to start praying to God until all the girls
return. Even after the convocation of the university last weekend,
I went to Dapchi and met about two to three hundred of them praying
for the safe return of the girls,” Bukar said.

The Chairman, Forum of Parents of the missing girls, Alhaji
Basir Manzo, also said a large number of clerics had been engaged
within Dapchi town and its environs to pray for the girls.

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) has also directed Imams to
conduct special prayers for Allah’s intervention in the matter.

“Likewise, fervent observance of Adhkar (remembrance of Allah)
should also be ventured into by all Muslims, as it is a vital tool
for easing fears, tension and uncertainties such as the myriad
security challenges bedevilling Nigeria.

“Similarly, supplications in Sujood in all circumstances are
also paramount.’’

Manzo said 107 parents of the missing girls were meeting on the
development.

He also dispelled rumors that some of the abducted girls had
made telephone calls to their parents.

“The rumors that some of the girls have called their parents are
all lies. We have verified all the places but it turned out to be
lies”, Manzo said.

Yesterday, The JNI also urged the Federal Government to
immediately rescue all the girls.

A statement by its Secretary General, Dr Khalid Aliyu, said the
circumstances of the abduction raised serious concern about the
genuineness of some security agents in the fight against
insurgency.

It condemned the buck passing between the police and the
military over the abduction, saying it was an indication that
something was seriously wrong.

The JNI said: “An example must be set – heads must roll for this
negligence. Inquiry is not the only way to go.’’

“In fact, a serious government would have by now put in jail and
suspended all negligent security and political chiefs who could and
should have protected these innocent children, rather than the
rigmarole setting up of an investigative panel,’’ the Muslims
umbrella group said.

Security agents searching for the 110 abducted Dapchi
schoolgirls got a clue yesterday.

A member of the House of Representatives said the girls were
still within Yobe State.

Rep Goni Bukar, representing Bursari/Yunusari/Gaidam Federal
Constituency, told The Nation in Damaturu, the state capital, that
the girls are in Bulabulin, Yunusari Local Government.

“The girls are within Yobe. We have an idea that they are in
Bulabulin, Yunusari Local Government. The military is aware that
Boko Haram has been in that place for over four years. They live in
that place like their own city,” Bukar said.

Speaking on the efforts of the military in the search for the
girls, Bukar said: “I cannot blame the military because I am
speaking with those that are carrying out the operation. We have
been speaking and they are telling me everything that they are
doing; so, I cannot say I will blame anybody in the military. They
are doing everything but I think they need to improve in their
search so as to rescue those girls.

“This issue is beyond the military that we have in Yobe … It is
not the issue of sending 10 policemen or 20 soldiers. It is a
matter of commitment. That is what we need. If they like, let them
give me the uniform and I will wear it and go and show them the
place. Even the day of the incident, the chairman, member, House of
Assembly and I went to Gumsa because we had information that three
of the girls died along the way and they were thrown away but it
was wrong information.”

The Defence Headquarters could not be reached for comment last
night.

The Forum of parents of the missing girls is planning to stage a
grand occupation of Damaturu , the Yobe State capital, to press the
government to intensify efforts in rescuing their daughters, but
are being financially constrained.

Manzo said: “We are going ahead with our plan to come to
Damaturu despite our financial difficulties. We need to mobilise
people to carry out our plan to visit Damaturu. But so far, all the
monies we have gathered as a group is going into the prayers that
we are organizing for the safe return of our daughters.”

There have been prayers for the release of the 110 abducted
pupils.

Participants at the ongoing 32nd National Quranic Recitation
Competition in Katsina yesterday prayed for the release of the
girls.

Dr Sani Abdullahi, Chairman of the Panel of Judges, led the
participants and spectators in the prayer before the morning
session of the competition.

Abdullahi prayed to Allah to protect the girls and return them
to their families unharmed.

He also prayed to the Almighty Allah to end the insurgency in
the Northeast, Zamfara and other parts of the country.

‘’Oh Allah, we pray to You to grant us peace in this country and
assist these abducted school girls and prevent future occurrence,’’
Abdullahi prayed.

The Dapchi community has mobilised over 300 clerics, who are
praying non-stop for the girls’ return.

The clerics, who are drawn from Dapchi and other neigbouring
villages, will not stop praying until the return of the girls,
Bukar said in Damaturu yesterday.

”We have gathered all the Ulamas in Dapchi into one mosque and
gave them every support to start praying to God until all the girls
return. Even after the convocation of the university last weekend,
I went to Dapchi and met about two to three hundred of them praying
for the safe return of the girls,” Bukar said.

The Chairman, Forum of Parents of the missing girls, Alhaji
Basir Manzo, also said a large number of clerics had been engaged
within Dapchi town and its environs to pray for the girls.

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) has also directed Imams to
conduct special prayers for Allah’s intervention in the matter.

“Likewise, fervent observance of Adhkar (remembrance of Allah)
should also be ventured into by all Muslims, as it is a vital tool
for easing fears, tension and uncertainties such as the myriad
security challenges bedevilling Nigeria.

“Similarly, supplications in Sujood in all circumstances are
also paramount.’’

Manzo said 107 parents of the missing girls were meeting on the
development.

He also dispelled rumors that some of the abducted girls had
made telephone calls to their parents.

“The rumors that some of the girls have called their parents are
all lies. We have verified all the places but it turned out to be
lies”, Manzo said.

Yesterday, The JNI also urged the Federal Government to
immediately rescue all the girls.

A statement by its Secretary General, Dr Khalid Aliyu, said the
circumstances of the abduction raised serious concern about the
genuineness of some security agents in the fight against
insurgency.

It condemned the buck passing between the police and the
military over the abduction, saying it was an indication that
something was seriously wrong.

The JNI said: “An example must be set – heads must roll for this
negligence. Inquiry is not the only way to go.’’

“In fact, a serious government would have by now put in jail and
suspended all negligent security and political chiefs who could and
should have protected these innocent children, rather than the
rigmarole setting up of an investigative panel,’’ the Muslims
umbrella group said.