The Nigerian Army said yesterday that it has no clue yet on the whereabouts of the remaining 119 girls abducted by Boko Haram from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State. Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh, had last year claimed that the military knew where the girls were being kept by their abductors, Boko Haram terrorists.

About 276 girls were abducted by the sect on the night of April 14, 2014, while writing the West African School Certificate Examination, WASC.

Chief of Army Staff, Lt- Gen. Kenneth Minimah, who spoke after a Security Council meeting in Abuja said there was no news for now about the missing girls from the areas liberated so far by troops.

According to him, “mop up” operations in areas recaptured from Boko Haram have not yielded any signs as to whether the abducted Chibok girls were kept there before being moved.

“In all the liberated areas we have, we have also made enquiries but the truth is when the terrorists are running away they also run with their families.

“And those we have come in contact have not made any comments suggesting that Chibok girls were there and taken away.

“But we are optimistic that as the war gets closer, the territory is becoming elusive to them (terrorists) and we will get further details on that,” Minimah said.

The Army Chief expressed optimism that more areas in the North-East would soon be liberated from the insurgents, having recorded success in completely liberating areas in Yobe and Adamawa states.

“You know Yobe and Adamawa states have been liberated completely and we look forward to the reinstatement of structures of government and governance.

“I am also sure you know that in Borno State, out of the 27 local governments, we have three local governments remaining, Abadam, Kalabaldi and Gwoza and we are optimistic that with time we will liberate those local governments,” Minimah said.

The Army Chief, however, said though the areas have been liberated, not all structures of governance had been reinstated, stressing that they would need to be reinstated so that citizens can go back to their areas and exercise their rights as voters.

The meeting, presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan had in attendance, Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant- General Kenneth Minimah; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu.

Also present at the meeting were Inspector General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba; National Security Adviser, NSA, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), Director- General, Department of State Services, DSS, Mr. Ita Ekpeyong and INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega.

•Adapted from National Mirror. Photo shows Minimah.

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