BREAKING News: Kidnapped Girls: Jonathan sets up Presidential Committee

May 2, 2014 Publication Director

Adetokunbo Fakeye

President Goodluck Jonathan this evening announced the constitution of a ‘Presidential Committee’ to help in the rescue of over 200 female students in the custody of the Boko Haram terrorist group.

This was made known through a statement by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Ayim Pius Anyim, on Friday.

The SGF in the statement said the committee has 17 members and is headed by Ibrahim Sabo, a retired brigadier general.

The statement also mentioned six terms of reference for the committee as follows: “To liaise with the Borno State Government and establish the circumstances leading to the School remaining open for boarding students when other schools were closed;

“To liaise with relevant authorities and the parents of the missing girls to establish the actual number and identities of the girls abducted;

“To interface with the Security Services and Borno State Government to ascertain how many of the missing girls have returned;

“To mobilise the surrounding communities and the general public on citizen support for a rescue strategy and operation;

“To articulate a framework for a multi-stakeholder action for the rescue of the missing girls;

“To advise Government on any matter incidental to the terms of reference”.

The Committee as constituted are as follows:
(i) Brig. General Ibrahim A. Sabo (Rtd.) – Chairman
(ii) Barrister Femi Falana, SAN – Member
(iii) Hajia Hawa Ibrahim – Member
(iv) Hajia Fatima Kwaku – Member
(v) 2 representatives of National Council of Women
Societies (NCWS)   – Member
(vi) 2 representatives of the All        one whom shall be a female
Nigeria Conference of
Principals of Secondary
Schools (ANCOPSS)     – Member
(vii) 2 representatives of the National “ – Member
Parents Teachers Association
(viii) 2 representatives of the Nigeria Police “ – Member
(ix) 2 representatives of the State Security
Service “ – Member
(x) 2 representatives of the Nigerian Army “ – Member
(xi) 2 representatives of the Nigeria Union
of Journalists (NUJ) “ – Member
(xii) 1 Representative of the Federal Ministry of
Information (who shall be the Committees’
Spokesperson)         – Member
(xiii) 1 Representative of the Federal Ministry of Justice – Member
(xiv) 3 Representatives of Borno State Government
(two of whom, preferably, shall be women) – Member
(xv) 1 Representative of the United Nations – Member
(xvi) 1 Representative of ECOWAS (who shall be a woman) – Member
(xvii) Permanent Secretary (Special Services Office) OSGF – Secretary