Dapchi parents: Boko Haram abducted 105 girls — we have evidence

Bashir Manzo, chairman, forum of parents of missing Dapchi girls, says 105 girls have not been found.

On Monday, suspected Boko Haram insurgents invaded Government Girls’ Science Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe state.

In the aftermath of the invasion, the school said 94 girls were missing after a roll call was taken.

Ibrahim Gaidam, governor of Yobe, put the number of the missing girls at 84.

But speaking with The Nation, Manzo said the list compiled by the parents puts the figure at 105.

He said the parents have proof that the girls were seized by Boko Haram insurgents.

“The list we have here is from the parents that came themselves and reported that they had not seen their children up till this moment,” he said.

“When a parent comes, he gives us his name himself, the name of his child, his town, local government area and his phone number. We are not collating these names by any phone call or text message. You have to come yourself and give your name and the name of your daughter that is missing, otherwise we will not accept anything short of that.

“The list we have got now is one hundred and five students that have not been found up till today. We had a report that these children were found at Gaidam and people celebrated. We even gathered that the children would be handed over to the governor here in Dapchi.

“When the governor came, we were gathered at the house of the District Head and the governor told us that none of the girls had been rescued. The governor said he was not sure whether our children are in Boko Haram’s captivity, but we are sure that Boko Haram took our children. We have evidence.

“When the governor came, we were gathered at the house of the district head and the governor told us that none of the girls had been rescued.

“The governor said he was not sure whether our children are in Boko Haram’s captivity, but we are sure that Boko Haram took our children. We have evidence.”

Manzo said the parents are unhappy with the delegation the federal government sent to visit them.

“We are not happy with the delegation of the federal government,” he said.

“They did not look for the principal or the parents of the missing girls or enter any office of the principal or a classroom in the school when they visited Dapchi.”