Nigerian Government has invited members of the #BringBackOurGirls to join military team in search of the missing girls at Sambisa forest.
The invitation was contained in a letter dated January 11, 2017, signed by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, and addressed to the Convener of the BBOG, Oby Ezekwesili.
“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 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 NAF 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 January 17, 2017,” Mr Mohammed stated.
Meanwhile, members of the BBOG have given condition to honour the invitation, wondering why it is coming few days after the Army Chief, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, castigated the group.
Oby Ezekwesili, a former Minister of Education and Convener of the BBOG, in a reply on January 13, referred to the Army Chief’s statement accusing the BBOG of engaging in “social advocacy terrorism”.
“It is puzzling that the said visit happened less than forty eight hours before our movement received your letter asking us to travel in the company of the same Chief of Army Staff to Sambisa Forest.
“We demand therefore that ahead of the pre-tour meeting, the Chief of Army Staff retracts and apologizes for endorsing such slanderous attacks against our movement,” Ezekwesili said.
