Chibok: Presidential Committee Meets Security Chiefs In Maiduguri

BEVERLY HILLS, CA, May 19, (THEWILL) â€' The Presidential Committee set up by President Goodluck Jonathan to unravel the mystery surrounding the abduction of over 200 girls from their school in Chibok, Borno State swung into action on Monday as it met with security chiefs in Maiduguri, the State capital, behind closed doors.

The retired Brigadier General Ibrahim Sabo - led committee had earlier in the day met with the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai El-Kanemi.

And speaking before the meeting went into a closed session, Sabo listed the terms of reference of the committee to include liaising with the Borno State Government and establishing the circumstances leading to the opening of the school for boarding students when other schools were closed and to interface with the state and the security services on the actual number of the missing girls and their identities.

Disclosing that the committee had conducted some interactive sessions and consultations with a broad range of sources and contact in the past weeks, the committee chairman said:

'We also met with the newly-appointed United Nations Secretary General Special Representative on the Chibok Abduction, as well as foreign experts and officials, who are in the country as part of the support pledged by various nations to the Federal Government's efforts to rescue the abducted schoolgirls, and to deal with the insurgency.'

Present at the maiden meeting with the security chiefs were the acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 7 Division; the State Commissioner of Police; the state director of DSS, heads of Air Force, Customs and Immigration as well as other paramilitary organisations.

Earlier at the Shehu of Borno's palace, General Sabo disclosed that the committee was in the state to unravel the mystery surrounding the schoolgirls' abduction and resolve the current hostage crisis.

'We are now in the main theatre where the Chibok schoolgirls were taken away against their will. The whole world is mobilised against the abduction, and we cannot be happy while our daughters remain incaptivity,' he said

He disclosed that the committee would engage with a wide range of stakeholders for a holistic appreciation of the crisis, calling for the cooperation of all.

In his remark, the Shehu of Borno, Umar El-Kanemi, described the abduction of the schoolgirls as unfortunate.

'What is happening now is unfortunate. It's entirely new to us. None of the leaders of Boko Haram is from Borno. They cannot claim to be from here. The problem was brought to us from elsewhere' he said.