Chibok Girls: Joanathan sets up 'rescue' committee

President Goodluck Jonathan has set up a 'Presidential Committee' to help in the rescue of over 200 female students in the custody of the Boko Haram terrorist group.

In  a statement by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim, on Friday, Mr  Anyim said the committee has 17 members and is headed by Ibrahim Sabo, a retired brigadier general.

Mr. Anyim also mentioned six terms of reference for the committee. These include: “To liaise with the Borno State Government and establish the circumstances leading to the School remaining open for boarding students when other schools were closed.” And “To liaise with relevant authorities and the parents of the missing girls to establish the actual number and identities of the girls abducted.”

The SGF said the committee's work shall be 'fact finding;' while the committee will be inaugurated on May 6.

 Anyim's full statement below:
PRESIDENTIAL COMMITTEE ON THE RESCUE OF THE ABDUCTED

FEMALE STUDENTS AT GOVERNMENT SECONDARY
SCHOOL – CHIBOK
As part of efforts to ensure successful rescue of the abducted female students of Government Secondary School CHIBOK, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, has approved the constitution of a Presidential Committee on the rescue efforts for the missing female students.  The Committees whose work shall be largely fact findings is charged with the following terms of reference:

To liaise with the Borno State Government and establish the circumstances leading to the School remaining open for boarding students when other schools were closed;

To liaise with relevant authorities and the parents of the missing girls to establish the actual number and identities of the girls abducted;

To interface with the Security Services and Borno State Government to ascertain how many of the missing girls have returned;

To mobilise the surrounding communities and the general public on citizen support for a rescue strategy and operation;

To articulate a framework for a multi-stakeholder action for the rescue of the missing girls;

To advise Government on any matter incidental to the terms of reference.

2. The Committee is composed as follows:
(i) Brig. General Ibrahim A. Sabo (Rtd.) – Chairman

(ii) Barrister Femi Falana, SAN – Member
(iii) Hajia Hawa Ibrahim – Member
(iv) Hajia Fatima Kwaku – Member
(v) 2 representatives of National Council of Women
Societies (NCWS)   – Member
(vi) 2 representatives of the All        one whom shall be a female

Nigeria Conference of
Principals of Secondary
Schools (ANCOPSS)     – Member
(vii) 2 representatives of the National “ – Member
Parents Teachers Association
(viii) 2 representatives of the Nigeria Police “ – Member

(ix) 2 representatives of the State Security
Service “ – Member
(x) 2 representatives of the Nigerian Army “ – Member

(xi) 2 representatives of the Nigeria Union
of Journalists (NUJ) “ – Member
(xii) 1 Representative of the Federal Ministry of
Information (who shall be the Committees'
Spokesperson)         – Member
(xiii) 1 Representative of the Federal Ministry of Justice – Member

(xiv) 3 Representatives of Borno State Government
(two of whom, preferably, shall be women) – Member
(xv) 1 Representative of the United Nations – Member

(xvi) 1 Representative of ECOWAS (who shall be a woman) – Member

(xvii) Permanent Secretary (Special Services Office) OSGF – Secretary

4. The Committee will be inaugurated at the State House, Abuja on Tuesday, 6th May, 2014 by 12 noon.

SIGNED
Anyim Pius Anyim, GCON
Secretary to the Government of the Federation