President Buhari’s Address at the Occasion of Receiving the Release of Dapchi School Girls

I am delighted to formally announce to Nigerians this morning and our International friends and partners that One Hundred and Seven (107) Dapchi students previously abducted, have been unconditionally released by their abductors.

This cheering and hearty development signifies our commitment to the security and wellbeing of all Nigerian.

We are never in doubt about our focus and direction since the assumption of this Administration. Security, ant-corruption and revamping of our economy are the main focus of our government.

You will recall that on 14th of this month, I paid a visit to Yobe State during which I sympathized with the parents, families, Government and people of the State for the tragic abduction of the students in Dapchi.

I made a solemn pledge on my word of honour that this Administration would do everything possible to ensure the unconditional release of the girls.

I further tasked all the appropriate security agencies to safely bring back the girls. We also reached out to our contacts at home and abroad. We embarked on backchannel shuttles with a clear view to bring to an end, of this tragedy.

We entered into negotiations solely to make sure that no single girl was hurt. This strategy paid off as the girls have been released without any incidents.

Let me re-emphasize our Administration’s commitment to the fight against terrorism and insurgency, and also call on all Nigerians, to join in this task. The security services have since been directed to put in place further measures around all schools vulnerable to attacks to ensure the safety of our pupils/students and teachers and school workers.

I have tasked all the security agencies to work to ensure that we do not witness any reoccurrence of these incidents. Security Chiefs have been warned in clear terms that any lapse on their parts will be viewed seriously.

To the rescued students, we want to reassure you as our daughters, that you will freely live and pursue your dreams in Nigeria of peace and order, without fear of violence or molestation.

While parents of the Dapchi girls rejoice because of the reunion with their children, I want to appeal to the Chibok Community never to lose hope or to despair. We are determined as never before, to bring back our remaining Chibok daughters. And this, we must accomplish. And that will be soon by God’s grace.

While further efforts are being made to secure the release of every abducted citizen in Nigeria, Government is ever ready to accept the unconditional laying down of arms by any member of the Boko Haram group, who show strong commitment in that regard. We are ready to rehabilitate and integrate such repentant members into the larger society.

This country has suffered enough of hostility. Government is therefore appealing to all to embrace peace for the overall development of our people and the country.

May I also warn against those elements who have chosen to make political fortune of our citizens’ misfortune. Government would not tolerate any attempt by any person or group to trivialize or politicize security issues for politically motivated ends. Accordingly, security agencies would not hesitate to decisively deal with such unscrupulous characters.

Finally, I thank all Nigerians, who in spite of political differences, prayed and showed solidarity with families of the abducted students, during the period of the abduction.

This, undoubtedly, is the Nigerian spirit. We can and should sustain it beyond moments of sorrow. I remain thankful to the International Community and our friends who offered varying degrees of assistance during the back channel communications.

May I, on behalf of the Government and people of Nigerian, extend our appreciation to the security agencies for their loyal and tireless efforts in making this day a reality.

Thank you and may God bless our country.

Factsheet: Federal Government’s Efforts to Ensure the Safe Return of the Dapchi Girls

Background:

On February 19, 2018, 110 girls were abducted by suspected Boko Haram militants from the Government Girls’ Technical School, Dapchi in Bursari Local Government of Yobe State.

By February 21, 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari reacted to the abduction of the school girls, by directing the military and police to mobilize immediately and begin rescue efforts.

On February 22, 2018, a Federal Government delegation led by Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Lai Mohammed, visited Dapchi, Yobe State to fully support and collaborate with the Yobe State Government, on rescue plans.

In response to the recent incident, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) deployed air assets, including Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms, to the Northeast in a renewed effort at locating the missing Dapchi girls.

On February 26, 2018, a Federal Government delegation, led by Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Lai Mohammed, visited Yobe State for the second time to meet with state government stakeholders and get update on the search for the 110 missing girls.

At the meeting, the Minister announced that the Federal Government has directed all security agencies in Yobe State to deploy their personnel to schools in the state to ensure students and staffers’ safety. He also added that security agencies are working on many leads on the location of the girls.

On February 26, 2018, following the need for more in-dept search operations, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) deployed additional air assets, to conduct day and night searches for the missing girls. By 6pm, the Nigerian Air Force had flown a total of 200 hours conducting searches for the missing girls.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Abubakar relocated to Yobe state on February 27, 2018, to personally superintend the search for the missing Dapchi girls.

On February 28, 2018, the Honourable Minister of Interior, Lt General (Rtd) Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau, directed the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris and the Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC), Abdullahi Mohammad Gana to relocate to the northeast and liaise with the theater commander of operation Lafiya Dole, the Governors of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states to ensure the deployment of their personnel to all schools in the liberated areas in the three states.

On March 2, 2018, the search for the missing girls was extended to the neigbouring countries. A statement to this effect was released by the Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Lai Mohammed.

The Federal Goverment has officially released the names and details of the 110 missing girls to the general public as it continues its search efforts.

As of March 21, 2018, 107 out of the 110 missing Dapchi girls (105 Dapchi school girls and 2 others) were officially documented to have been released by the Boko Haram insurgents. The girls were promptly put under medical care while the remaining number of girls were being accounted for. Full press release to this effect can be sourced HERE

On March 23, 2018, the President officially received the released Dapchi schoolgirls at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. He made his address at the meeting which can be sourced HERE

The Nigerian Air Force has urged the locals and anyone who might have useful information on the location of the girls to contact the NAF authorities using the following tip lines:

08035733438

08172843484

08058419128

The Federal Government urges everyone to remain calm as they step up efforts to locate the missing girls. A detailed press statement on Federal Government’s response is HERE

Press Release: 101 Freed Dapchi Schoolgirls Now Documented – FG

The number of the Dapchi schoolgirls who were released on Wednesday has increased from 76 to 101, with the documentation of more of the freed girls by the security agencies, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister said the number could still increase, as the documentation of the freed girls is ongoing.

He said the release of the schoolgirls is the outcome of the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari to all security agencies to do everything possible to secure the release of the 110 Dapchi schoolgirls, who were abducted 19 Feb. 2018.

The Minister said the girls were released around 3 a.m. through back-channel efforts and with the help of some friends of the country, and that it was unconditional.

”For the release to work, the government had a clear understanding that violence and confrontation would not be the way out as it could endanger the lives of the girls, hence a non-violent approach was the preferred option.

”Within the period when the girls were being brought back, operational pause was observed in certain areas to ensure free passage and also that lives were not lost,” he said.

Meanwhile, a Federal Government Delegation comprising Ministers of Information and Culture; Interior as well as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs are on their way to Maiduguri to meet with the freed girls.

Segun Adeyemi
SA To Hon Minister of Information and Culture
Abuja
21 March 2018

President Buhari’s Address on his Official Visit to Yobe State

I am here in Yobe State today, to express my sincere sympathies with the parents, families, the Government and the entire people of Yobe State whose daughters were callously abducted by unrepentant terrorists.

On 19th February, 2018, we woke up to the painful news of the abduction of One Hundred and Ten (110) students of Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi. Since this ugly incident happened, I have not left any stone unturned in making sure that the girls are rescued.

I have ordered the Service Chiefs and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to take direct charge and brief me on a daily basis on the efforts to bring back the girls. Within four (4) days of the incident, the Minister of Information visited Dapchi and the next day, the Minister of Interior who was accompanied by the Minister of Information re-visited the school for on the spot assessment.

I have ordered the re-strengthening of a Joint Operational Base involving relevant agencies and Services to coordinate the rescue mission. Consequently, the Service Commanders have not only established a unified Command Centre in Maiduguri, the Military has raised several rescue teams to comb the forests in the North East Theatre of Operation.

In addition, the Nigerian Airforce has maintained aerial surveillance of the area. The Federal Government had earlier sent a delegation of senior officials to visit the Governor and the parents of the girls to re-assure them of the measures the government is taking as well as have an on-the-spot-assessment of the incident.

Similarly, the Federal Government has set up a 12-member Committee to unravel the circumstances surrounding the abduction of the students. The membership of the Committee was drawn from among security agencies and local residents. It is my hope that any agency, person or group found to have been negligent or culpable in the abduction of the girls will be punished in accordance with the law.

Furthermore, the government is partnering with the International Community and organizations including our neighbours to ensure that these girls are safely returned. Just recently, I reiterated our resolve to negotiate for the unconditional release of the girls. This is borne out of this administration’s conviction that, doing so is safer devoid of risks and will not endanger the lives of our young girls who are in harm’s way.

Since the inception of this administration, we have remained resolute in our fight against Terrorism and Boko Haram insurgents. Nigerians will readily recall that prior to our coming in 2015, the situation was chaotic with violent terrorist attacks being the order of the day.

Terrorists had made life very unbearable for the people in Yobe, Kano, Kaduna, Borno, Niger, and even the FCT, Abuja. Our Mosques and Churches witnessed daily suicide bomb attacks. Parts of Adamawa and Borno States were helplessly ceded to the terrorists.

But today, we have so far shown clear determination in tackling terrorism which is a world -wide phenomenon. We have not only degraded the power and dominance of the criminal elements, our security forces have patriotically exhibited an uncommon zeal in executing their assignment.

We explored various strategies including regional and international collaborations to exterminate terror. We have re-equipped our armed forces, security and intelligence Services. They are empowered with improved welfare and better equipment. The outcomes have been good. Our achievement in maintaining security is such that the international community and even our critics commend our modest efforts in this regards.

The Federal Government’s response to the unfortunate abduction of the school girls is a clear departure from the insensitivity of the past administration which looked the other way while the Chibok girls were taken away in 2014 and held in captivity for over 3 years. Due to our commitment, over 100 Chibok girls have been rescued and reunited with their families, sent back to school and empowered with requisite skills.

You may recall that recently, our negotiation efforts led to the release of abducted University of Maiduguri lecturers, some women Police personnel, students and even an NYSC member. We, therefore, have no doubt that the Dapchi girls will be rescued or released. I can reassure parents, Nigerians and the International Community that we will do all that is within our power to make sure that the girls are brought back safely to their families.

I have ordered a 24 hour brief to me by security agencies on its successes or challenges. While expecting the report of the Committee set up to investigate the abduction for implementation, I have asked that appropriate Federal Government authorities be in constant touch with the Yobe State Government and other neighbouring States to ensure a common strategy and line of action.

There will be no rest till the last girl, whether from Chibok and Dapchi, is released. The girls, like all our citizens, must enjoy unhindered freedom and pursue their legitimate aspirations.

The Dapchi and Chibok students are our girls and must enjoy our protection. They must live to achieve their individual ambitions, to be great women of tomorrow. It is our duty to protect them. We are determined to restore peace to all part of the country – from the West to the East; North to the South. While calling for calm, I implore affected parents and families to restrain from making statements that may jeopardize the success of the rescue mission.

We are aware of orchestrations by some evil elements to take advantage of the development to score cheap political points. I call on law abiding citizens to shun activities and statements that may cause a breakdown of law and order.

The Government, under my watch, will continue to maintain normalcy and ensure that incidents of this nature are stopped. Be assured that measures are being put in place to achieve these objectives.

Thank you and may Almighty Allah bless our country.

Press Release: In Dapchi, President Buhari Pledges Safe Return of Abducted Schoolgirls

After meeting with stakeholders in Damaturu, Yobe State, President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday proceeded to Dapchi where he reassured parents of the abducted schoolgirls that the Federal Government will not rest on its oars, until their wards are safely brought back home.

The President, who was accompanied by Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State, said he had directed full scale aerial surveillance and investigation to ensure that the girls were returned safely.

“I have read the full report of what happened in Dapchi. As I received the report, I was saddened and I am praying that God will continue to console you,” he said.

President Buhari also said that government will ensure that the Boko Haram menace is totally brought to an end.

“Boko Haram was in control of many local councils in Borno and some parts of Yobe State before we came. Now it has resorted to using young girls for suicide missions in mosques, churches and motor parks.

“We will not spare their members. We will ensure that Boko Haram meets its waterloo. By the will of God, I have directed the police and reinforced them, and the army and air force to keep searching until the children are returned alive,” he said.

Governor Gaidam had promised that the state government would continue to provide all the necessary support to security agencies to enable them embark on a successful search and rescue of the girls.

In her remarks, the Principal of the Government Girls’ Science/Technical Secondary School, Dapchi, Mrs Adama Abdulkarim, said some gunmen stormed the school premises and started shooting at about 7.00pm on February 20, 2018.

“We had a roll call and realised 110 girls were missing; out of 906 girls, we had 796,” she explained.

A representative of the parents, Alhaji Bashir Manzo, appealed to the Federal Government to do all within its means for the safe return of the girls.

Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity)
March 14, 2018.

Part Two of the Transcript of a Media Interview Granted by the Vice President to a Group of Journalists & Social Media Practitioners in Lagos State on March 2, 2018

*Adds: Buhari administration is building a bright future for Nigeria’s youths

*On Dapchi & other security hotspots: We Are Working On Ensuring Effective Security

Q: Revamping Nigeria’s education system.

Vice President: If you will recall about a few months ago, I think it was in January, we had an education retreat; what needs to be done again is to unfold a whole direction in education. We came in with a manifesto on education, we had a few points that we were looking at and we also had some time to look at it. But many of us raised the issue that you don’t just pick the whole education; what about engineering because what we are seeing is such a dramatic change, not just in method of instruction in the requirement, job requirement, employment requirement, in technology and all of that, and that’s exactly what we are trying to do.

For example, we cannot have primary education the way it is, we’ve got to teach young people, we’ve got to introduce technology; you’ve got to have collaboration in education. We discovered, for instance, when we were doing the N-power – employment for young graduates, we discovered that it was also an opportunity to train the graduates. For the first time we were able to open a portal that has educational materials for graduates to just go in there. We also have devices for them to use.

But one important advantage of what we are doing is that all of a sudden, you can now train tens of thousands of people without sitting them in one place. So technology is going to play a role. We are in a very interesting place in terms of education today because you can leverage a great deal on technology. You can leverage a great deal on what is happening in other parts of the world. And we are trying to harness all of those resources and try to do something that will make a difference in our country. Here we are, in another 10 years we will be moving closer and closer to 2050 when we are going to be the 3rd largest population in the world. And there is almost a 70% youth population. We are not going to provide them with the number of classrooms that will be required, so we’ve got to really leverage on technology. We’ve got to leverage on verified trend that we see here and there.

Q: The delay in 2018 budget.

Vice President: We have a democracy that has, as you know, three arms. The two relevant arms for budget are the executive and legislature. If you recall when I was Acting President, I signed the 2017 budget and, at that time, I made the announcement with the full consensus of the National Assembly that, from 2018, we are going to have a budget that is going to apply in January and end in December the normal financial year. We agreed that we will submit our proposal in good time, and we did that first week of November. The President did so. We fulfilled that part of the agreement. The budget is with the National Assembly. There is very little we can do to control that. That’s the system that we have.

Q: Seeming rift between the Executive arm of Government and the Legislature.

Vice President: Well, I’m not so sure that the tensions are unknown. The democratic system anywhere as, for example, in the US where we borrow our bicameral legislature from, you find that despite the fact that the Republican Party controls major part of parliament, it still doesn’t mean that bills are necessary going to go through.

So one must assume that the responsibility of the National Assembly is to scrutinize what the executive is doing and not just to be a rubber stamp. But I also agree with you entirely that it’s important for us, for the sake of our country, our economy and for the sake of many young people who are relying on us to deliver. We ensured that we released our budget on time. I want to believe that the executive has done its part and we wait on the National Assembly.

Q: About N9 Trillion debt said to have been inherited by this administration now reportedly about N30 T. How come?

Vice President: No, No, I don’t think so. First let me explain that we have a government that is very prudent, a government that believes in financial prudence, a government that condemns impunity – the way that the thing was practiced before now, and a government that spends resources on the right thing. For the first time in the history of our country, we are spending about N1.3 trillion on capital; it means that we are investing in the right place. We are not just borrowing money anyhow; no, we are investing in the right place.

Every government or most governments anywhere probably look for some points to borrow, but the important thing is what are you borrowing for? And that’s why we building the Lagos-Kano rail, doing the Lagos-Calabar rail, the second Niger Bridge and the Mambilla hydro project that has been abandoned for almost 40 years.

We are improving capacities in power, we are investing in social investment, we are investing long-term in the things that will create an economy that can support a large number of young graduates, who are coming in the market every day. That’s a process that needs a lot of thinking; that needs a lot of investment.

I think the most important thing is to ask that when there was a N9 trillion debt, where is the infrastructure to account for that? I think that is the most important question to ask. It’s not whether you borrow, but what you spend that money on. I think we should be able to prove that the earning is 60% less than the earning in the past five six years. So we are spending far more on the right thing and we are able to ensure that we build a future that young people can truly look forward to.

Q: What about the 50% revenue reportedly being spent on settling debts?

Vice President: No, we are not spending 50% of our revenue servicing debt. Let me explain that, we have a deficit somehow in the region of about N2.6 trillion now, a lot of our revenue has to be spent on capital and recurrent, and recurrent is 70% of revenue. But for the first time we are spending 30% on capital. Before now when oil was a $115 a barrel, we were spending 11% or 15% on capital, and capital is the most important expenditure because that is where you do the infrastructure in order to be able to build the economy. So the reality is what we are spending is to provide the infrastructure that will last.

Q: Abduction of 110 Dapchi girls in Yobe and the killings in states like Benue and Zamfara. Why didn’t the President or you visit these places?

Vice President: Let me say it first that no amount of condolence can compensate for the loss of life, whether in Calabar, Mambilla or Benue or where people were killed in Adamawa or Zamfara, any of these states. There is no amount of condolence that can compensate for the loss of life. Benue killing is one set of killing far too much; there is no amount of condolence that can compensate for that. And I want to say that it’s a massive tragedy. But the question that you seem to ask I’ve been to Zamfara, I’ve been to Adamawa when this killing took place. There are those who said, ‘oh, why don’t you visit the Fulani settlement, why do visit only where Christians were?’ I even visited Benue in September where there have been killing before; then I’ve visited them when the flooding took place and we looked at all the issues and tried to address many of these. There have been several of these issues in different places, recently Dapchi. We have expressed condolences, but no amount of condolence would do.

The more important thing, and our focus has been, is first of all ensuring security in these places.

We have to address the security question in a much more robust way; that the police are able to do these effectively. We have deployed the military to Kaduna, two battalions to Kaduna. In Benue and Taraba axis, we have the 93 battalion, we have 72 Special Forces. We have full concentration in Taraba and all of that, and by the way, the military is fighting in most of the North East. So there is a situation where the military is overstretched. So I think the most important thing is first of all to ensure they actually address the security of the people.

Q: Nigerians definitely appreciate all you are doing. But they want to see their leaders come to them to grieve with them in the face of national human tragedy…

Vice President: Let me say that I definitely agree with you, the more places that we can go to the better. But I made a point earlier that we also have to address the serious concern that people have. We have to address those concerns; we have to address the rehabilitation concern. I am going round and the President is also going round, there is no question at all and I agree that if we go to all these places it would be so much better.

Released by:

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
04 March, 2018

Press Release: President Buhari To Visit Taraba, Benue, Yobe, Zamfara and Rivers States

In view of recent terrorist attacks, criminal activities and communal clashes in some States leading to tragic loss of lives and kidnapping of 110 schoolgirls, President Muhammadu Buhari immediately tasked the Armed Forces and other Security agencies to compile comprehensive reports on the various incidents.

Having received and studied the Reports, the President has decided to undertake an on the spot assessment of the various occurrences and to meet and console the communities affected.

From today, March 5, he will visit Taraba, and subsequently Benue, Yobe, Zamfara and Rivers States.

President Buhari has been receiving daily briefings, and has been in constant touch with the Governors, and has been updated with situation reports.

The President calls on all Nigerians especially those in the affected areas to cooperate fully with the Security Agencies to enable them curb the spate of crimes, bring those responsible to justice and prevent further occurrences.

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity)
March 5, 2018.

Press Release: Dapchi Update: Search for Dapchi Girls Extended to Neighbouring Countries – FG

The ongoing search for the 110 girls who were abducted from the Government Girls Science and Technical College (GGSTC), Dapchi, Yobe State, has been extended to the neighbouring countries, the Federal Government has announced.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said top military and security officials on Thursday travelled to the North-east to add more urgency to the search, which has now been extended beyond the North-east theatre.

The officials include the nation’s top military officer and Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas; Chief of Army Staff; Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Alhaji Lawal Daura.

They joined the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, who had earlier relocated to the North-east, as well as the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (Rtd), who has also visited the theatre.

The Federal Government had earlier released the names and other details of the 110 girls who have yet to be accounted for, following the attack on the GGSTC, Dapchi, Yobe State, on 19 Feb. 2018.

The panel set up by the Federal Government to unravel the circumstances surrounding the abduction of the girls was inaugurated on Thursday by the NSA.

Segun Adeyemi
SA To Hon Minister of Information and Culture
Abuja
2 March 2018

Factsheet: Federal Government’s Efforts to Ensure the Safe Return of the Dapchi Girls

Background:

On February 19, 2018, 110 girls were abducted by suspected Boko Haram militants from the Government Girls’ Technical School, Dapchi in Bursari Local Government of Yobe State.

By February 21, 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari reacted to the abduction of the school girls, by directing the military and police to mobilize immediately and begin rescue efforts.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Abubakar relocated to Yobe state on February 27, 2018, to personally superintend the search for the missing Dapchi girls.

The Federal Goverment has officially released the names and details of the 110 missing girls to the general public as it continues its search efforts.

The Nigerian Air Force has urged the locals and anyone who might have useful information on the location of the girls to contact the NAF authorities using the following tip lines:

08035733438

08172843484

08058419128

The Federal Government urges everyone to remain calm as they step up efforts to locate the missing girls. A detailed press statement on Federal Government’s response is HERE

Press Release: Dapchi Update: FG Sets up Committee to Probe Abduction of Dapchi Girls

The Federal Government has set up a 12-member committee to unravel the circumstances surrounding the abduction of 110 students of the Government Girls Science and Technical College (GGSTC) in Dapchi, Yobe State, following the attack on the school by insurgents on 19 Feb. 2018.

The committee was convened by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd), according to a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

The Committee, which will be chaired by a military officer of the rank of Major General, comprises one senior Provost each from the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force; representatives of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA); Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA); Nigeria Police Force (NPF); Department of State Services (DSS); Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC); two representatives of the Yobe State Government and a representative of the Office of the National Security Adviser.

The terms of reference of the Committee include ascertaining the circumstances surrounding the abduction of the girls, confirming the presence, composition, scale and disposition of security emplaced in Dapchi as well as in GGSTC before the incident and suggesting measures that can lead to the location and rescue of the girls.

The panel, which is expected to submit its report by 15 March 2018, is also saddled with recommending measures to prevent future occurrence.

The Committee will be inaugurated on Wednesday (28Feb2018).

Segun Adeyemi
SA To Hon Minister of Information and Culture
Abuja
27 Feb. 2018