I will only return to that school if Buratai is the gateman, says pupil

The Boko Haram attack on Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, may have created a setback for the efforts to get girls to remain in schools in Yobe State.

One of the pupils, Faiza Mohammed, said yesterday that she would not return to school except Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Yusuf Tukur Buratai is the gateman.

The attack on the school has also caused some level of panic across the northern part of Yobe State which witnessed fewer attacks of the insurgents in the last seven years.

Faiza, who gave a graphic account of the pupils’ experience while avoiding the marauding terrorists, said one of her classmates was bitten by a snake as they tried to escape through the bush in the night; others broke their legs.

Faiza praised the efforts of “our teachers who tried to keep us together”. “They tried their best to control us not to scatter into the bush but some stubborn students started jumping the fence to run into the bush. There were some of us that hid in nearby houses from the school.”

She said the Vice Principal (Academics) and the Vice Principal (Admin) were monitoring the movement of the Boko Haram men around the school.

“I told my mother that I will not go back to that school again, except Buratai is the gateman. But my sister’s daughter told me that my demands are impossible because Gen. Buratai cannot come down to Dapchi to become gateman in my school. What I simply want is for government to provide for us enough security.

“Because of what my sister said, I will go back but if I see no security, I will just come back and study at home and write my final exams and my JAMB,” Faiza said.

The state government closed down the school for one week. The Army has launched a search and rescue operation for the missing students.

Some of the parents have taken to the social media to demand explanation on the missing girls.

One wrote on his faebook page:

#Tragedy #Disaster#Trauma #Emergency 

Where are our Girls?

Following the attack on Dapchi my hometown by suspected Boko Haram members and their penetration into the Government Girls Science and Technical College in the town on Monday 19/2/2018. A lot of families are left in confusion and trauma of not knowing the whereabout of their daughters and the authorities concerned did not give any genuine  feedback to the people.

The Authorities insist the  Girls are missing while parents of the Girls and Community members including myself have established that those girls were abducted by the insurgents just as the widely  publicized Chibok Girls.

I am by this urging the Government at all levels to be sincere with us and let us know and possibly participate in any effort put in place for  finding  the “missing “ girls. To the  media also, your investigative reportage  should not just stop at political wrangling, this  is a time  the  helpless community people need your  services.  

So far, within Dapchi town alone, nothing is heard of over forty girls and no Authority consoled their families after almost 48hrs. Haba!

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