Nigeria’s armed forces have formally issued a retraction to the
unfolding story of the kidnapping of more than 100 female students in
the country’s northeast Monday.
The statement, issued by Chris Olukolade, a Major General who also
serves as Coordinator, and the Director of Defense Information, centers
on a discrepancy of fact, and concerns a mis-quote from the School
Principal whose students were abducted in the Monday siege. In an
attempt to set the record straight, Olukolade’s statement reads as
follows:
The controversy that has been generated around the efforts at
securing the lives of the abducted students of Government Girls’
Secondary School, Chibok is unfortunate. The ongoing frantic efforts of
security forces along with vigilante groups including hunters working to
locate and free the abducted students have continued to be keenly
monitored at the Operation Centre of the Defense and Army Headquarters
as regular progress reports are being received from troops on the
ground.
READ MORE AFTER THE CUT.......................................
In this regard, a report was filed in from the field indicating that a
major breakthrough had been recorded in the search. There was no reason
to doubt this official channel, hence the information was released to
the public immediately. Surprisingly however, the school principal, one
of the sources quoted in the report has denied all that was attributed
to her for whatever reasons. This is an unfortunate development indeed,
yet the Defense Headquarters would not want to join issues with anyone.
It has to be reaffirmed however, that the report forwarded to the
public on this issue was in good faith and not intended to deceive the
public as is being interpreted following the denials by the School
principal and Government of Borno State. Like all other citizens, the
military is deeply concerned to ensure that the students are safe and
freed alive. There is indeed no reason to play politics with the
precious lives of the students. The number of those still missing is
not the issue now as the life of every Nigerian is very precious.
In the light of the denial by the principal of the school, the
Defense Headquarters wishes to defer to the school principal and
Governor’s statement on the number of students still missing and retract
that aspect of earlier statement while the search continues.
CHRIS OLUKOLADE
Major General
Director Defence Information/Coordinator
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