‘I’ll only return to school if Buratai is the gateman’

…no girl is abducted – Yobe Education commissioner insist

Faiza Mohammed, one of the girls who escaped Boko Haram onslaught at Government Girls Science and Technical  College Dapchi  said she will not go back to school except the Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Yusuf Tukur Buratai is the gateman of the school.

Faiza statement underscores the need for authorities to beef up security in the school so as to build confidence both among the students and parents who are at the moment apprehensive of the resurgence attacks especial the Monday attack on the school.

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

According to Faiza who gave a graphic account of the experiences they went through in the process of shielding their presence from the marauding Boko Haram terrorists also informed that one of her classmate was bitten by a snake as they tried to escaped their way through the bushes in the night to unknown destinations.

Faiza who praised the efforts of their teachers during the time noted that, “our teachers 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 hide into nearby houses from the school”.

She informed that the Vice Principal Academics and the Vice Principal Admin were together monitoring the movement of the Boko Haram around the school.

“I told my mother that I will not go back to that school again except Buratai is the gateman. But my sisters Daughter told me that my demands are impossible because Buratai cannot come down to Dapchi to become gateman at 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 not security, I will just come back and study at home and write my final exams and my JAMB, Faiza said.

Speaking on the number of students that ran to the bush, Faiza informed that one of her friends and her classmate from Gashua  was bitten by a snake, while others have broken their legs in the process of running into the bush.

Meanwhile, Yobe State Government has closed down the school for one week, as the Army has launched a search and rescue operation for the missing students.

The commissioner for Education in the State Hon. Mohammed Lamin has insisted that no child was abducted by Boko Haram but however admitted that some children are still missing from the attack.

The commissioner in a text message admitted that the insurgents were in Dapchi but no form of abduction took place at the school.

In the meantime, some parents of the students who are yet to see their children are still faced with frustration and anxiety and trauma after they have not spoke to their children for more than 48 hours.

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

One of the parent wrote on his faebook page as captured by our correspondent thus:

#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!

One of the teachers told our correspondent that over 70 students are still missing.

In the latest update, the Yobe State Police Commissioner Abudulmaliki Sunmonu told journalist in Damaturu that  a total of  815  students have been physically counted and seen out of 926 student population of the school.

We have physically seen 815 students out of the 926 students in the school. That gives you the figure of 111 still missing,” CP Sunmonu said

He informed that the rescue operation comprising the police, military and the DSS is still ongoing in the gener

 

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