Piqued by contradictory information regarding the abducted students of Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State, President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday set up a Fact-Finding Committee to ascertain the true situation of things.
The President announced the decision during a marathon emergency national security meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The meeting, which was attended by Vice President Namadi Sambo, some Ministers, Service Chiefs and Heads of relevant government agencies lasted several hours.
It was gathered that the meeting was summoned in view of the fresh bomb blast at Nyanya, which has claimed 19 lives so far and left about 66 injured.
The Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, while briefing State House Correspondents, said the terms of reference and full membership of the committee would be made available to the public at a later date.
According to him, Service Chiefs briefed the meeting on the latest Nyanya bomb explosion, the ongoing search for the abducted school girls, as well as the efforts made so far in combating insurgency.
Maku, who was flanked by the spokesmen of the Defence, Police and SSS, said: “In view of the inconsistent and contradictory information available to government on the Chibok abduction, the President has set up a fact-finding committee comprising security agencies, civil society, international organisations and other stakeholders.
“The meeting received updates on the second Nyanya bombing, the ongoing search for the Chibok girls, and efforts made so far to deal with related incidents of insecurity and terrorism in the country.”
The Minister also disclosed that Jonathan gave instructions for additional proactive measures by security agencies to enhance public safety, including increased public awareness for citizens, to step up their cooperation with security agencies by reporting suspected activities and persons likely to cause a breach of public peace, safety and security.
Maku spoke further: “Extensive and intensive aerial surveillance by the Air Force has been carried out in all the routes leading into and out of Chibok up to the Chad and Cameroun borders.
“Other parts of Borno and Adamawa states are also under the searchlight. Also, every information relayed to security agencies has so far been investigated, including the search of all places suspected as a possible hide-away of the kidnapped girls.
“The police, backed up by the military and DSS, have combed and are still combing all reported places that the girls might have been taken to.”
President Jonathan, again, commiserated with the families of the deceased while also directing full medical treatment for the victims at government’s expense.
The meeting also resolved that the upcoming World Economic Forum would hold as scheduled, promising adequate security for all participants.
Present at the meeting were the Chief of Defense Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Sabundu Badeh; the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Kenneth Tobia Minimah; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Ademola Nunayon Amosu; the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin; the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar; the National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd); and the Director General of the Department of State Service, Ita Ekpeyong.
The Ministers present were those of Defence, General Aliyu Gusau (rtd); Interior, Abba Moro; State for FCT, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide; Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga; State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Samuel Ortom; Police, Abduljelil Adesiyan; Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke; and Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
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