We’ll visit Chibok soon-FG panel

The committee, in a statement by its spokesman, Kingsley Osadolor, attributed the delay to some undisclosed ‘pertinent issues’, which he said arose during the committee’s consultations.

Osadolor, who said members of the committee returned to Abuja on Sunday after the Borno visit, added that the delayed visit to Chibok had already been discussed with representatives of the communities in the area.

He said the committee members would soon return to Borno, specifically to interface with the people in Chibok.

He said, “After the trip to Abuja, the committee will return to Borno shortly. The return trip to Borno is specifically to interface with the families and communities in Chibok.

“The visit has not been undertaken at this time, because in the course of the interactions with stakeholders, pertinent issues arose and these impact directly on aspects of the committee’s terms of reference, that is, to mobilise the surrounding communities and the general public on citizen support for a rescue strategy and operation, and to articulate a framework for a multi-stakeholder action for the rescue of the missing girls.

“The delayed visit to Chibok has been discussed with representatives of the communities.”

Osadolor said the committee noted the emerging stakeholder consensus on the appropriate framework for the rescue agenda.

He quoted the committee’s chairman, Brig.-Gen. Ibrahim Sabo (retd.), as appealing to Nigerians, especially the media, not to capitalise on the delayed visit by the committee to Chibok to agitate already frayed nerves.

“The families are already traumatised; we are with them in their grief, and it is our desire, as it is theirs, that the abducted girls be freed and reunited with their respective families,” Sabo was quoted as saying.