The Federal Government has set up a 12-member committee to unravel the circumstances surrounding the abduction of 110 pupils of the Government Girls Science and Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe State, on February 19.
The committee was convened by the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.), according to a statement on Tuesday by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
“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 in place in Dapchi, as well as in the GGSTC before the incident and suggesting measures that can lead to the location and rescue of the girls,” the statement read in part.
The panel, which is expected to submit its report by March 15, 2018, is also saddled with recommending measures to prevent future occurrence.
The statement said the committee would be inaugurated on Wednesday (today).
The announcement of the setting up of the committee came a day after the main opposition political party, the Peoples Democratic Party, asked the National Assembly to probe the incident.
Reps order probe, summon service chiefs
The House of Representatives on Tuesday ordered an investigation into the abduction of the 110 Dapchi schoolgirls.
The members also summoned service chiefs and heads of security agencies to give reports on the security situation in the country.
The session, which was presided over by Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, called on the Federal Government to deploy adequate security might to ensure the rescue of the girls.
The resolution came as Dogara, in a strongly-worded statement, blamed the abduction on the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police for failing to perform their duties.
Leading the debate on the motion, Bukar-Lawal told the House that several abductions of pupils by Boko Haram in Yobe State had taken place in the past, but were not reported.
“Note that in 2014, 58 male pupils of the College of Agriculture, Buni Yadi in Yobe State, were murdered while they were asleep,” he added.
Bukar-Lawal informed the House that he was in Dapchi till 7am on the day of the schoolgirls’ abduction before travelling to Lagos.