Residents of Dapchi, Yobe on Thursday attacked the convoy of the state governor, Ibrahim Gaidam when he paid a visit to the community in the wake of a Boko Haram attack on Government Girls Science and Technical Secondary School.
The attack had earlier led to the abduction of about 100 pupils of the school, the media reported.
The dreaded group had invaded the school in Dapchi town, Bursari local government area on Monday, February 19, 2018, and made away with loads of food items from the school, sending students and staff running into the bushes for safety.
A head count of the students on Tuesday, February 20, had revealed that at least 94 schoolgirls were missing.
However, there were conflicting reports by the Commissioner of Police, Abdulmaliki Sumonu, who said 111 girls were unaccounted for, while the state government claimed later on Wednesday, February 21, that only over 50 were missing.
Later on Thursday, the state government issued an official statement to apologise for the misinformation that some girls had been rescued by the army.
The statement read, “The public may recall that we issued a statement last night in which we announced that some of the girls at Government Girls Science Technical College (GGSTC), Dapchi who went missing after Boko Haram terrorists had stormed their school last Monday were rescued by officers and men of the Nigerian Army who are currently executing the war against the Boko Haram Insurgents.
“We issued the statement on the basis of information provided by one of the security agencies that is involved in the fight against Boko Haram and which we had no reason to doubt.
“We have now established that the information we relied on to make the statement was not credible. The Yobe State Government apologises for that.
“His Excellency Governor Ibrahim Gaidam was in Dapchi today where he met with community leaders and the Principal and staff of the Girls’ College.
“The governor also addressed the parents of some of the schoolgirls that are still unaccounted for where he told them to pray and exercise patience as the government and security agencies at all levels continue the work to address the unfortunate situation.
“His Excellency Governor Gaidam has also directed Education Ministry officials and the school administration to work closely with the security agencies to establish the actual number of girls that are still unaccounted for and to contact parents and the community for possible information that could be useful in the investigation.
“His Excellency Governor Gaidam shares deeply and personally in the grief about the unfortunate event at the Girls’ College and, under his leadership, the Yobe State Government will continue to do everything necessary in partnership with security agencies and the federal government to address the situation.”
