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Tag: Lai Mohammed

  • UNWTO-CAF meeting will put Nigeria on global focus – Lai Mohammed

    The 61st UN World Tourism Organisation’s Commission for Africa ( UNWTO – CAF ) meeting in Abuja, from June 1 to June 6, will put Nigeria under global focus in addition to its socio-economic gains.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made this assertion when he led a delegation to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Mohammed said this was a good opportunity, as it would put the country under global focus and attract socio-economic gains, while placing Nigeria and the nation’s tourism industry in particular, on the world map.

    In the same vein the meeting provides the country an opportunity to showcase itself to the world, especially in the area of culture and tourism.

    Mohammed stressed that Nigeria had a lot to show, namely, a lot of tourists’ attraction, rich culture as well as music and films, which have taken the world by storm.

    Mohammed said that the team was in the FCT to start off the series of visits and advocacy to key stakeholders.

    He said this was with regards to Nigeria’s hosting of the first meeting of the UNWTO – CAF.

    “As the host minister of this conference, that makes it imperative for us to make your office as the first port of call.

    “Mr President has accepted very graciously to personally declare the meeting open and that makes Mr President the first person to be invited.

    “With this visit, the Minister of the FCT has become the second person to be invited,’’ he said.

    According to the minister, the global tourism body unanimously gave Nigeria the hosting right for the meeting during its last meeting in Addis-Ababa in April 2017.

    “The meeting we are planning to host is very important.

    “UNWTO, which is the custodian of the meeting, has a global membership of 158 members, six associate members and several associate members representing the private sector, educational institutions, tourism associations and local tourism authorities.

    “UNWTO also comprises six regional commissions with the Commission for Africa, to which Nigeria belongs being the largest with 51 ministers.

    “The meeting will be attended mostly by delegates from 51-member states of CAF, which is the acronym for the Commission for Africa, as against the Confederation for African Football Federation. A 13-member technical team will be here by the end of this month to commence preparations,’’ he added.

    The minister used the occasion to formally invite the FCT minister to the event as the minister of the host city.

    He also called on Nigerians to support the Federal Government to ensure a successful hosting of the event.

    Responding, FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello assured the UN World Tourism Organisation’s Commission for Africa ( UNWTO – CAF ), that the city is ready for the 61st Meeting in Abuja.

    Bello expressed delight over the choice of Abuja as host city, saying that the event fits well into the drive of the FCT administration, to make Abuja a global tourism and conference destination.

    He commended his Information and Culture counterpart for the hard work in successfully securing the hosting rights for the meeting.

    The minister said it was a reflection of how the outer world now perceives the country, as well as an eloquent indication of the fact that the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is getting it right.

    “For Nigeria to win the hosting right must have entailed a lot of hard work. This is very commendable. These are all reflections of how the outer world now perceives Nigeria.

    “It’s a reflection that this government is getting it right and it’s something that we all feel proud of.

    “We are going to give maximum support to this conference because it showcases Nigeria and, above all, it showcases Abuja and it fits into our programme of working to position the city as a conference destination.

    “Giving Abuja’s beauty, good road network, serenity and security we can boldly say that Abuja is ready for the tourism world,’’ he said.

    Bello pledged the support of the FCTA, saying that a team headed by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr Christian Ohaa, is working tirelessly to ensure a hitch free conference in liaison with conference’s local organising committee.

    “Naturally, we will host the dinner and we will provide buses for all the delegates.

    “Of course, we will also provide 24-hour security. Above all, you’ve made this country proud and we will support you for a successful hosting,’’ he added.

    NAN

  • Offa robbery a shock, says Fed Govt

    •IG deploys special forces to Kwara, Taraba •20 suspects arrested, arms recovered 

    THE Federal Government has assured the citizens that those behind Thursday’s armed robbery attack and killings in Offa, Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State will be arrested and prosecuted.

    Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed gave the assurance yesterday when he visited the Kwara State Governor Abdulfathah Ahmed at the Government House, Ilorin.

    This came as the Inspector General (IG) Ibrahim Idris directed state commands across the country to be on red alert.

    The directive was sequel to the attacks in Offa as well as the killings at Donga and Bali Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Taraba State.

    Mohammed said the entire nation was “shocked and grieved” by the dastardly acts during which 17 persons, including nine policemen, were killed.

    The minister later visited Offa to commiserate with Olofa of Offa Oba Muftau Gbadamosi Esuwoye II and his people over the unfortunate incident.

    He also visited the headquarters of the state police command in Ilorin to commiserate with the Police Commissioner, Lawan Ado, over the death of the nine policemen.

    He was also at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital  (UITH), where he sympathised with the victims of the armed robbery attacks, who were on admission.

    The minister said the state and the public must learn  from “the mistakes” from the incident with a view  to improving on the country’s security architecture.

    “What happened in Offa on Thursday shocked the entire nation and is our prayers that the souls of all the victims will rest in peace and also that those badly injured would be heeled and recover very soon.

    “I want to take this opportunity to also let you know that the entire country is grieving and the entire country is sympathising with Kwara State and  the entire people of Offa.

    “But there is also a silver light, despite the losses of the police, it is quite heart-warming to know that some of the suspects have been arrested.

    “I spoke yesterday with the IG and he assured me that all the people responsible for the dastardly act would be arrested and brought to justice.

    “I hope also that we are all going to learn from the mistakes – both the larger public and everybody – and we are going to factor this into the larger security architecture  in a manner  that we will have a much more secured and safe states and country,” he said.

    Ahmed thanked the “presidency for its intervention so far”.

    He expressed delight with the promise made the IG to deploy an armoured personnel carrier (APC) that will be stationed in Offa to prevent future occurrence.

    He described the level of the crime perpetrated as “unexpected”, a situation which he said was an indication that the country was in a “challenging situation”.

    The governor said government at this time must accept the fact that the nation was going through challenging  time  and redoubled efforts towards improving on its security architecture, saying: “This is not the time for blame game”.

    He advocated for effective community policing and improved synergy through effective communications, particularly between the military and the police.

    At the palace of Olofa of Offa, the monarch thanked the minister for the visit and solidarity with his people.

    He asked the minister to use his good offices in ensuring the deployment of two armoured personnel carriers to Kwara south to beef up security in the area.

    According to a statement by police spokesman Jimoh Moshood, an Assistant Commissioner (ACP), Idris also ordered the deployment of three Police Mobile Force Units, high powered police investigation team, Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) with 10 crew members and anti-robbery equipment to Kwara State and three additional Police Mobile Force (PMF) units to Kwara and Taraba states to beef up security, prevent further attacks and arrest culprits.

    It was learnt that eight principal suspects have been arrested in connection with the bank robbery and 12 others said to have direct involvement in the Taraba killings were also apprehended.

    Moshood said seven AK47 rifles, four locally made revolver pistols, 30 rounds of AK47 ammunition and seven armed robbers’ operational vehicles were recovered in the two incidents.

    He said: “The deployments, which have arrived the two states, will cover Offa LGA and its environs and other vulnerable points in Kwara State, while the deployment of the three in addition to the five recently deployed to Taraba State will cover Donga, Bali, Lau, Gassol, Karim Lamido LGAs and other flash points in the state.

    “The police teams will carry out intelligence gathering, raid identified criminal spots/flashpoints, stop and search operations, visibility and confidence-building patrols, arrest of perpetrators and further investigation into the incidents.

    “The immediate intervention and preliminary investigation carried out by the high-powered police investigation team deployed by the IG working in synergy with the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (SCIID) in the two commands resulted in the arrest of eight principal suspects in the Offa Bank Robbery and 12 suspects directly responsible for the recent killings in Donga and Bali LGAs of Taraba State.”

     

    Ahmed pledges new police station in Offa

    KWARA State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has promised to build a new police station for Offa at a strategic position in the town within the next 45 days.

    He spoke when he visited the Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye II, at his palace in Offa to commiserate with him and people of Offa over the Thursday, armed robbery attack that claimed several lives in the town

    Ahmed said he would do everything within his power to prevent a re-occurrence.

    Besides, the governor promised to facilitate an  Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) for the community to beef up security in Offa and its environs.

    Ahmed said he has secured the assurance of the Inspector General (IG) that the security infrastructure of the town would be rapidly scaled-up.

    He said these measures were necessary to forestall incessant attacks on the existing police station each time there was armed robbery attack, assuring that those behind the act would soon be apprehended and brought to justice.

    Oba Gbadamosi thanked the governor for the visit and concern.

    He requested government assistance to prevail on the commercial banks not to abandon the town due to the incident.

     

  • Dokpesi to Lai Mohammed: Retract calling me looter or face N5b lawsuit

    The chairman of DAAR communications, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, is demanding from Information Minister Lai Mohammed an immediate retraction of his inclusion on a list of alleged looters of public treasury.

    Dokpesi wants the retraction published in four newspapers and a payment of N500million “representing minimal damages.”

    He warns that failure by the minister to meet his demands will cause him to proceed to court to demand damages of N5billion.

    Dokpesi’s demands are contained in an April 4, 2018 letter to the Minister.

    It was signed by his lawyer, Dr. Mike Ozekhome.

    The letter was in response to the March 30,2018 press conference  by the minister in which he alleged that Dokpesi  took  N2.1 billion from the office of then National Security Adviser (NSA).

    Ozekhome said that contrary to the minister’s “derogatory, disparaging, mendacious and unrestrained defamatory statements, as published in various print, electronic and online media platforms, of and concerning our client, our client has never been associated with the looting of the public treasury.”

    He added:”before the court where he is currently standing trial on trumped up charges brought against him by your same federal government, he has categorically and unambiguously denied the said charges. At the ongoing trial which has been stalled serially by the federal government with series of requests for adjournment, our client has neither been found guilty nor convicted by the trial court or by any other court in Nigeria.

    “The brazen defamatory statements/ publications of alleged looting of the public treasury mentioned by you against our client are most damaging and clearly rubbish the hard-earned reputation of our client.”

    Our client has since received several and unending phone calls, mails and visits from relatives, friends, associates, as well as other well meaning Nigerians, who have ceaselessly called to express their shock over the vile allegations in the said publications.

    “Our client has suffered severe public odium, opprobrium, ridicule, psychological trauma, untold embarrassment and countless business losses consequent upon your reckless publication which has put him in bad light before reasonable members of the society.

    “Unless you carry out the above minimal demands immediately, to redress the incalculable damage done to our client’s [image], we shall, without any further communication from us, commence legal action against you to redress your unrestrained and unwarranted assault against our client’s hard earned image and reputation.

    “We shall, in such circumstances, be demanding for damages in the sum of N5 billion.”

  • Alleged looters’ list: Secondus drags Lai Mohammed to court

    The National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Uche Secondus, has dragged the Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, to court for defamation of character,according to a media aide to the PDP National Chairman, Ike Abonyi.

    Mohammed had listed  Secondus as one of the PDP  top shots that looted the treasury.

    He alleged that the PDP chairman received N200 million from the former National Security Adviser (NSA).

    In his reaction, Secondus had through his lawyer, Mr Emeka Etiaba, denied collecting any money from the former NSA.

    He had consequently asked the minister to immediately retract his name on the list and demanded a public apology and payment of N1.5b damages within 48 hours.

    “We shall within 72 hours from today (March 31, 2018), proceed to a court of competent jurisdiction to ventilate our client’s right under the law and shall further seek the protection of the court against you,” Secondus’ lawyer had told Mohammed in a letter on Saturday last week.

    Having failed to meet the demand, the PDP National Chairman made good his threat yesterday and filed a suit at the Port Harcourt High Court in Rivers State.

    In the suit no/PHC/1013/2018, he asked the court to award him the sum of N1.5b as damages for “humiliation, castigation, vilification attack on his person and integrity as a result of the publication.”

    He also claimed that the list published by the minister was defamatory and urged the court to direct Mohammed to retract the said publication and apologise in writing.

    Secondus wants the retraction and apology to be published in all social media platforms and other media organisations where it was earlier publicised and broadcast.

    He further asked the court for a perpetual injunction restraining the defendant from further publishing defamatory materials against him.

    Joined in the suit are the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Attorney General of the Federation and a publishing firm.

    The minister and other respondents are yet to respond to the suit.

    Mohammed had told reporters penultimate  Friday in Lagos that the decision to reveal the list was prompted by the PDP’s call to the government to publish the names of those that alleged looted Nigeria’s treasury.

    Also on the list are former PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Olisa Metuh, and an erstwhile aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Dudafa Waripamo-Owei, among others.

  • FG names Secondus, other treasury looters in PDP

    The Federal Government on Friday listed names of some members of Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) who it alleged  looted the national treasury when the party was in power.

    At a media briefing in Lagos, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said the PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus took N200 million from the office of then National Security Adviser ( NSA ) on Feb. 19, 2015.

    The PDP had challenged the ruling party to name the looters under their watch if they actually know any.

    “They said they did not loot the treasury. Well, I am sure they know that the treasury was looted dry under their watch.

    “Yet they decided to grandstand. This shows the hollowness of their apology to Nigerians.

    “Let us just give them a teaser with this list: PDP chairman Uche Secondus on the 19th of Feb 2015, took N200 million only from the office of then NSA”

    The minister also alleged that PDP FInancial Secretary, Bolaji Anani on Oct 2014, took N600 million from the office of then NSA

    He said that the then party’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisah Metuh, is on trial for collecting N1.4 billion from the office of then NSA

    Mohammed said that Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, Chairman of DAAR Communications is also on trial, for allegedly taking N2.1 billion also from the office of the NSA

    “Dudafa Waripamo-Owei, former SSA to President Goodluck Jonathan, is also on trial over N830 million kept in accounts of four different companies,” he said.

    The minister said that a Federal High Court recently ruled that the former President Jonathan’s cousin Robert Azibaola had a case to answer for collecting 40 million dollars from the office of then NSA

    “This list is just a tip of the iceberg, and the PDP is aware of this.

    “We did not make these cases up. Many of these cases are in court and the records are available.

    “Some of the people on this list are seeking to plea bargain, and that is a fact,” he said

    Mohammed continued: “We insist that Nigeria was looted blind under the watch of the PDP, and that the starting point in tendering an apology is for them to return the loot.

    “It is like a robber admitting to stealing your car and apologizing, but then saying he will keep the car anyway. It doesn’t work that way.

    “The PDP is a hypocrite, and that reminds me of what English writer William Hazlitt said: ‘The only vice that cannot be forgiven is hypocrisy. The repentance of a hypocrite is itself hypocrisy’.

    “We will not stop talking about the massive looting by the PDP. They
    brought Nigeria to this sorry pass.

    “We are now looking around for loans to build infrastructure, and they ask us not to talk about it. we will talk about it”.

    Speaking on whether the position of government was prejudice since they had not been convicted by court, the minister said they were dared by the party  to give the names.

    He added that they had enough evidence to prove the allegations against them.

    NAN

  • FEC okays N20 billion for Ikorodu – Shagamu expressway

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC meeting on Wednesday approved N20 billion for rehabilitation of Ikorodu – Shagamu expressway.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who stood in for the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of the meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    According to him, the project will reduce accidents on the highway and loss of production time.

    He also said the project when completed would enhance movements of petroleum products and agricultural produce.

    The Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika said FEC also approved N4.233 billion for airport fire- fighting equipment.

  • FG to PDP: Apology not enough, return looted funds

    The Federal Government on Tuesday reacted to the apology tendered by the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) over its 16 years misrule.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, urged the party to go a step further by returning all the looted funds.

    In a statement issued in Abuja, Mohammed also challenged the party to show the genuineness of its apology through a discernible change of attitude.

    He said: ”The PDP presided over an unprecedented looting of the public treasury, perhaps the worst of its kind in Nigeria or anywhere else in the world. Therefore, the best evidence of penitence for such a party is not just to own up and apologize, but to also return the looted funds. Anything short of that is mere deceit.

    ”Even with the paucity of funds, this administration has spent an unprecedented amount of money on infrastructural development and Social Investment Programme, among others. Returning looted funds will provide more money for these programmes and make life more meaningful for Nigerians. There is no better apology than that.”

    Alhaji Mohammed also reminded the PDP of the quote: ”If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging,” saying it applies to the PDP at this time.

    ”PDP, press the reset button. Stop sabotaging the work of this administration, which is packing the mess you left behind, through your reckless statements and unfounded allegations. Play responsible opposition politics. Put Nigeria’s interest over and above partisan interest. Temper your desperation to return to power. Spend quality time in the purgatory and you will be forgiven,” he said.

     

     

  • PDP deserves de-registration for utter failure – Lai Mohammed

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed says the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) deserves to be deregistered for utter failure both as ruling and opposition party.

    The minister stated this on Sunday in Lagos at a media briefing to give update and clarifications on the released schoolgirls in Dapchi, Yobe state.

    The minister specifically berated the party for “disgraceful and insensitive politics that the PDP has been playing with the abduction and release of the Dapchi girls’’.

    “What called for non-partisan celebrations was rather thoughtlessly turned into politics, bad, despicable politics that has no place in any democracy.

    “At times of national tragedies, countries unite. This is the norm everywhere.

    “Indeed, there should be a new criterion for withdrawing the registration of a party like the PDP which has failed both as a ruling and an opposition party!

    “If a party cannot rule and cannot be in opposition, what else can it do?’’ he said.

    The minister reiterated that a terror attack on any country is an attack on all countries.

    He said it was on the basis of that, the UN was among the first international organisations to condemn the abduction of the Dapchi girls and also among the first to welcome their release.

    The minister said that going by PDP statement that the abduction and release of the girls were stage-managed, it showed “that the party and its co-travelers do not understand that terrorism is a global problem’’.

    “Perhaps we should ask the PDP what indeed the party knows about the abduction of the Dapchi girls, going by its statement that their abduction and release were stage-managed.

    “The party made itself a laughing stock within and outside Nigeria with that statement.

    “Don’t they know that our international friends are involved in the process that led to the release of the girls?’’ he said.

    Mohammed recalled the warning of President Muhammadu Buhari “against those elements who have chosen to make political fortune of our citizens’ misfortune’’.

    “Government would not tolerate any attempt by any person or group to trivialize or politicize security issues for politically motivated ends.

    “Accordingly, security agencies would not hesitate to decisively deal with such unscrupulous characters. Those are very clear words that need no elaboration.”

    It would be recalled that the PDP had taken a swipe at the Presidency alleging that both the abduction and the release of the girls were stage-managed for political purposes.

    The National Chairman and the National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Prince Uche Secondus and Mr Kola Ologbondiyan – had at different news conferences demanded the probe, arrest and prosecution of all those involved in the alleged saga (NAN)

  • Schoolgirls released unconditionally, says Lai Mohammed 

    After days in Boko Haram custody, 104 pupils of the Government Girls Science and Technical College (GGSTC) in Dapchi, Yobe state were yesterday released.

    A boy and another girls were also freed.

    The government put the figure of the girls abducted in the night of February 19 at 110

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted the girls as saying that five of their school mates died on the day they were abducted.

    The girls were taken to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, from where they were flown to Abuja last night.

    The Federal Government said a total of 106 abducted persons, comprising 104 Dapchi schoolgirls, one other girl and a boy were freed by the insurgents early yesterday.

    Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed told reporters in Maiduguri that all the 106 persons were freed unconditionally –  contrary to reports in a section of the media that ransom was paid and that some insurgents were swapped for the freed persons.

    ‘’It is not true that we paid ransom for the release of the Dapchi girls, neither was there a prisoner swap to secure their release.

    ‘’What happened was that the abduction itself was a breach of the ceasefire talks between the insurgents and the government, hence it became a moral burden on the abductors. Any report that we paid ransom or engaged in prisoner swap is false,’’ he said.

    The freed persons were handed over to the Federal Government by the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj.-Gen. Rogers Nicholas.

    They were handed over to the four-member Federal Government delegation at the Nigerian Air Force base in Maiduguri in the evening. The delegation comprised Alhaji Mohammed;  Minister of Interior Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazau (retd.); Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hajia Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim and Hon. Goni Lawan Bukar, a member of the House of Representatives from Dapchi. The girls were flown to Abuja aboard a military transport plane.

    Mohammed said: “The girls were released unconditionally; no money changed hands. They only gave one condition –  that they would return them (the girls) to where they picked them from. So in the early hours of today (yesterday), they did return the girls and most of them went to their parents’ homes.”

    When asked about the boy among those released, Mohammed said: “I can tell you that is authentic. Whether they picked the boy or not, I can’t hazard any guess, but don’t forget even in a girls’ school, which is a boarding school, there will be parents; there are teachers who can have children among them.

    “The report we got is that one condition the insurgents gave was that they will be the ones to drop the girls and they dropped them in the early hours of this morning (yesterday).

    “Like I said in the statement released to you earlier, once violence and confrontation was ruled out and negotiation started, there was a deliberate pause on the part of the military. In other words, it was agreed that there will be no force, there will be no confrontation; that was why it was possible for them to drop the girls.

    “It was part of the agreement that we will release the girls, there will be no violence, no confrontation. And don’t forget that the lives of these children are much more important to us than any cheap victory.”

    On what the government is doing to prevent another abduction, Mohammed said: “If you remember, immediately this thing happened, Mr. President directed the security agencies, especially the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps, to man every school. But, you see, we must look at this thing in context. If you look at other, countries like the U.S., Florida, you saw how gunmen entered the school and killed about 17 pupils. Insurgency all over the world is a global issue and the government must always be on its toes.

    “One of the things we have done today is that we have tried to secure the schools and there are even efforts on the part of government to even merge some schools, schools that are far flung.

    On the girls, the minister said: “Just as we did when we had the first set and second set of released Chibok girls, they will be quarantined and be psychologically counseled before they go back to their schools.”

    On whether the girls will likely meet Mr. President, he said “I want to guess ‘yes’, but I cannot say so. Things are still just developing.”

    Mrs Abba Ibrahim said: “I’m very excited today. I’m exhilarated, I’m happy.

    “We are very very happy. We have achieved what we had gone out to achieve and we thank the Almighty God for His mercy.”

    She declined to comment on the reported death of some of the girls.

    “As far as I know now, they are taking a roll call. So, we cannot ascertain how many have passed on, but we will find out later on what the casualties are.’’

    The minister advised parents not to be discouraged by the incident, but to encourage their female children to embrace education.

    “I will advise parents to continue sending their children to school.

    “We as a government will fortify the schools to make sure that they are safe for the children to actually go and learn,’’ Mrs Abba-Ibrahim said.

    Dan-Ali said: “Basically, I want to speak on the impression that people had that we cannot get the girls released. If you can remember the last interview I had with Channels Television, I said in two weeks, two months or less we are going to get the girls released and this has happened.

    “So this is as result of the efforts of Mr. President and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces for the support he has been giving us and the output is showing now.

    “I did say even if you are going for negotiations if you are not doing so from the point of strength, then you cannot make it.”

  • UPDATED: 101 Dapchi girls released unconditionally, two died during abduction – Mohammed

    The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, said on Wednesday said the abducted students of Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State, were released unconditionally.

    He stated this while speaking with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    At least 110 girls were abducted from their hostels by Boko Haram fighters on February 19.

    According to Mohammed, 101 girls were released along with one boy.

    He said two of the kidnapped girls died during the abduction.

    Members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) who were in the Council chamber for the weekly meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari were in high spirit over the girls’ release.

    They were discussing the issue in small groups before the meeting started.

    Mohammed said: “You see, all we can tell is what we got from our sources on ground. As things develop we will let you know. The girls were released unconditionally, no money changed hands. They only gave us one condition, that they will return them to where they picked them. So in the early hours of today (Wednesday), they did return the girls and most of them went to their parents homes.

    “As of now I can confirm that 91 girls and one boy have been released. The event is developing. Many of the girls that were released were not dropped in one place. Some were dropped on the road and they went back naturally to their parents’ houses.

    “They are now being asked to come for documentation at a center and as at five minutes ago, I was told 91 girls and boy had been documented.”

    On the boy that was released along with the girls, the minister added: “I can tell you that the report is authentic. Whether they picked the boy or not I can’t hazard any guess. But don’t forget even in a girl school, which is a boarding school there will be parents, there are teachers who can have children amongst them. But what I have been told is that 91 girls and one boy have been documented.”

    “On the issue of delegation,  I think we will clear that with relevant security authorities, it is not something I can talk about right now. We are constantly talking to those on ground. Don’t forget as of now that area has become an operational area and so we have to take advise from the security operatives on what to do.

    “What is important is that we must be able to brief you regularly on development and we are constantly in touch with authorities in Dapchi.

    “The report we got was that one condition the insurgents gave was that they will be the ones to drop the girls and they dropped them in the early hours of this morning.

    “Like I said in the statement released to you earlier, once violence and confrontation was ruled out and negotiation started, there was a deliberate pause on the part of the military, in other words it was agreed that there will be no force and there will be no confrontation. That was why it was possible for them to drop the girls.

    “It was part of the agreement that we will release the girls and there will be no violence or confrontation. And don’t forget that the lives of these children are much more important to us than any cheap victory.

    “If you remember, immediately this thing happened, Mr. President actually directed the security agencies especially the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to man every school. But you see we must look at this thing in context, if you look at other countries like the United States, particularly in Florida you saw how gunmen entered the school and killed about 17 pupils. Insurgency is a global issue and the government must always be on its toes.

    “One of the things we have done today is that we have tried to secure the schools and there are efforts on the part of government to even merge some schools, schools that are far flung.

    “As I speak to you now, the girls are in General Hospital in Dapchi and the counsellors are there with them. Just as we did when we had the first and second sets of released Chibok girls, they will be quarantined and psychologically counseled before they go back to their schools.

    “I want to guess the girls will meet Mr. President but I cannot say so. Things are still just developing.”