The Police Commissioner in Yobe, Abdulmaliki Sumonu, on Wednesday confirmed that 111 schoolgirls were still unaccounted for, following Monday’s attack by Boko Haram insurgents on Dapchi’s Government Girls Secondary School, Dapchi.
Sumonu stated this while fielding questions from newsmen in Damaturu.
He said, “815 out of the 926 students were physically seen in the school as at Tuesday. There are reports that more girls have returned to the school after the head count.”
According to him, there were no abductions or deaths inside the school. This contradicted a report by a foreign news agency that some 91 schoolgirls may have been abducted, the way Chibok girls were abducted in April 2014.
“A roll-call at the girls’ school on Tuesday showed that 91 students were absent, said the two people with direct knowledge of the matter.
“I saw girls crying and wailing in three Tata vehicles and they were crying for help,” said a witness from the nearby village of Gumsa who was reportedly forced to show the insurgents the way out of the area and then released”. Reuters reported.
But Sunmonu denied the story of abduction.
“I asked the school’s principal if there were abductions or deaths in the school and she said no.
“I am not unaware of the rumours going on, l want to appeal to the press and the society to please cooperate with the security agencies in this situation,” he said.
The commissioner said the security forces had pursued the insurgents in a new location where they were reported to have been seen.
The Armada News reports that the insurgents attacked Government Girls Secondary School, Dapchi, on Monday and looted foodstuff, while the staff and students ran into the bush for safety.