Nigerian Govt Invites #BringBackOurGirls for Sambisa Search

The Federal Government has invited members
of the Bring Our Girls Back group to a short trip
into Sambisa forest in search of the missing
Chibok girls.
The invitation extended to members of the
BBOG, an advocacy group for the release of the
missing school girls from Chibok, Borno, was
contained in a letter dated January 11.
The letter, signed by the Minister of Information
and Culture, Lai Mohammed, and addressed to
Oby Ezekwesili, the convener of the group, was
made available to the media on Saturday.
In the letter, the government asked the BBOG to
nominate three of its members to join on the
guided trip on January 16 in recognition of the
unwavering commitment of the group to the
release of the girls.
“The trip being planned by the military will see
the ministers of defence and information, the
Chief of Air Staff and Chief of Army Staff joining
the invited BBOG members and a select group
of journalists.
“They will first go to the Nigerian Air Force
(NAF) Command Centre in Yola to witness
firsthand the efforts being made to search for
the girls by NAF and then join the day and night
sorties with the BAF to the Sambisa Forest.
“Please note that due to limited seats on the
search plane, only two of the invited BBOG
members will join the NAF sorties.
“After the sorties, the team will return to Yola
for bidding by the NAF on their daily search for
the girls as well as all those who have been
abducted by Boko Haram.
“Departure is scheduled for 8.30a.m. at the Air
Force wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International
Airport on Monday the Jan. 17, 2017,” the letter
reads in part.
The government stated that the trip would avail
the BBOG the opportunity to witness and better
understand the efforts being made to secure the
freedom of the girls and other victims of Book
Haram terrorists. (NAN)