…As soldiers storm Sambisa
From EVANGELINE ANUMBA, Abuja
Two days after Nigeria and the world held solemn memorial for the 219 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram insurgents in Chibok, Borno State, the Federal Government has once again assured of its commitment to bring back the girls.
The renewed hope for their rescue came from the Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri at a media interaction in Abuja yesterday.
Omeri, who is also the coordinator of the National Information Centre, Abuja, disclosed that the military had been following every lead that had been received since commencement of the search efforts for the girls but was yet to be successful.
He, however, assured that the military would continue to intensify its efforts until the girls were located and rescued alive.
“Yesterday marked one year of the horrific occurrence, which was a tragedy and an experience that every Nigerian painfully shares alongside the immediate families of the victims, the people of Chibok and the international community.
“The Federal Government remains resolute in finding and returning the girls to their homes where they rightly belong. Consequently, we will continue to exert all efforts in ensuring their location and safe return,” Omeri pledged.
He said in recent months, the troops had recorded significant successes in their counter-insurgency efforts, with the arrest and prosecution of suspects of the Nyanya bombings as well as the liberation of 40 communities from Boko Haram’s control.
“Our intelligence indicates that the present military operation is focused in the area (Sambisa) where the girls are believed to be held,” he said.
Omeri also informed that in commemoration of first anniversary of the abduction, the government sent a delegation to meet with some parents of the girls, describing the session as “a fruitful and constructive meeting.”
He added: “The government is committed to returning and resettling people from the affected communities as soon as possible. It is also in the process of revamping the economies of these local communities, while guaranteeing safety and security.
“In addition, we recognise that the public has the right and the need to know what the government is doing to defeat Boko Haram and find the girls and that is the reason this centre has consistently been opened and accessible to the media.
“We take this obligation seriously and will continue to be forthcoming with information to the public and the press. Our people deserve no less.”
On the fate of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the six North East states and those residing in neighbouring countries, Omeri said: “At present they are being provided for by the government through the National Emergency Management Authorities (NEMA) and other agencies.”
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