Four pupils of the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State, are still missing – almost two weeks after a Boko Haram attack in which many died.
The hunters and herdsmen deployed by the government to comb the bush for the pupils have not achieved any result.
Yesterday, the military said its troops foiled an attack in Borno State where the insurgents have been killing people.
Seven travellers were also feared killed yesterday at Wala ‘A,’ Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
One of the victims of the Thursday attack was identified as a patent medicine store owner from Gwoza.
The other six victims were said to be residents of Gadamayo who were travelling to Maiduguri when they ran into an ambush of the insurgents hiding in the hills of Gwoza.
A security source said the seven travelers were all butchered to death by the insurgents.
The Defence Headquarters said no fewer than 20 insurgents were killed by the troops.
Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Alex Bardeh also gave the assurance that the military would end the insurgency.
Chairman of the Special Committee set up by the Yobe State Government to assess and assist victims of Boko Haram attacks on FGC Buni Yadi, Ahmed Mustapha Goniri, said in Buni Yadi yesterday that his committee discussed with the school teachers on how to reach parents of missing pupils.
Goniri, who is the Commissioner for Justice, noted that the committees’ constant touch with the school teachers would give easy access to the missing pupils’ parents and to have complete statistics of pupils who died in the attack.
“So far we have gathered that four pupils are yet to be found since the attack,” Goniri said.
Asked whether the four missing pupils could be among the bodies burnt beyond recognition, Goniri said: “No, we were able to identify all the pupils that were burnt beyond recognition with the help of their housemates.
Most of the pupils were burnt on their beds. Their mates who survived were able to identify who slept on which bed and who was burnt. But the ones missing, no one has seen their bodies since after the attack”.
The chairman said security operatives, vigilance groups and hunters were deployed in the bush to trace the missing pupils.
He called on the traditional rulers and citizens in the area to help security agencies with useful information to succeed in their assignment.
He said the committee had assessed the extent of damage done to the school, adding that the N100 million donated to the staff would soon be shared appropriately to cushion the suffering of the victims.
The Defence Headquarters said troops foiled fresh attempts by Boko Haram insurgents to attack Ajiri and Mafa in Borno State.
It admitted that some troops were wounded but without any specific figure of those affected.
It also contrary to insinuations, the military was not overwhelmed by Boko Haram insurgency.
The DHQ, in a statement by the Director of Defence Information, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, asked Nigerians to ignore allegations that Nigerian troops have been weakened.
The statement said: “Attempts by terrorists to attack Ajiri and Mafa as well as other communities in the outskirt of Maiduguri and Dikwa in Borno State towards the Cameroon borders, yesterday were foiled by the security forces.
“The ambush mounted by the terrorists to enable them unleash terror on the communities unchallenged, was also cleared by troops on reinforcement mission.
Arms captured from the terrorists include various brands of machine guns and improvised explosive devices.
“Twenty insurgents died in the encounter, while own troops sustained varying degree of injuries.
“Also, more camps were destroyed yesterday in encounters at various forests and mountain locations around Adamawa and Borno States.
The DHQ took exception to assumptions that the Nigerian military had been overwhelmed by Boko Haram.
The statement added: “Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters has noted with grave concern the inflammatory pronouncements by some highly placed persons in government and some apparently sponsored commentators in and outside the country who have consistently given false and misleading remarks to describe the disposition of troops in the ongoing operations.
“It has become clear that this sustained campaign is intended to demoralize the troops and give impression that the military is overwhelmed by the terrorist group. This tendency is unfortunate to say the least.
“For the avoidance of any doubt, it is hereby restated that the Nigerian military cannot by any standard be overwhelmed by the insurgents neither will the devious antics of their sympathizers and sponsors demoralize the fighting spirit of troops.
“Nigerians and indeed all well-wishers are enjoined to discountenance the propaganda messages of the terrorists and their backers alleging the inability of Nigerians troops to handle the insurgency.
Air Chief Marshal Badeh, who spoke when the Caucus of House of Representatives members from Adamawa State, led by Rep Anthony Madwatte, visited him, said the military was doing all it could to rout out the insurgents.
“What I can guarantee you is that we will do our best but we solicit your assistance to ensure that this war is over.
“We look forward to your protection; you must give us the legal backing for us to do our job.
“If you want your son to succeed then you must assist him, if your son succeeds then, the armed forces have succeeded, ‘’ he said.
Badeh also assured the legislators that the situation would be normalised to enable them to go back home and campaign when the time comes.
The CDS thanked the National Assembly for the support to the military to effectively carry out its duty.
“We are not custodians of democracy but we are defenders of democracy; we are to ensure that democracy thrives, so that everybody can go about doing their business,” he said.
