The Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) group has sent a delegation to join the Federal Government’s team on a day search sorties for missing Chibok girls to Sambisa Forest.
The group reviewed the conditions it earlier gave to the government to travel with the team heading for the North East to witness first-hand the military’s ongoing search for the girls.
The BBOG delegation included the convener of the group, Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili, the spokesperson of the Chibok community, Dr Manasseh Allen, Aisha Yusuf and Ibrahim Usman.
It will be recalled that following the invitation extended to the group by the government to participate in the search mission the BBOG had given certain conditions before its members would join.
Specifically, the group requested a Pre-Tour Meeting with government officials and a retraction of some remarks allegedly made by the Chief of Army Staff, which it found to be slanderous.
The government in a letter signed by the Minister of Information ad Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed had rejected the conditions given by the group and insisted that the team would proceed on the trip as scheduled.
Following the position of the government, NAN reports that the BBOG reviewed the conditions and indicated acceptance to participate in the exercise.
In a letter to the Minister on Sunday night, the group asked the government to “quickly provide us more details of the tour duration and detailed logistics including the names of the local and international media on the delegation.
“We need this information to enable us to send you a more substantial letter conveying our acceptance to join the Guided Tour”.
The Minister responded to the request by giving details of the trip and other requests by the group.
Please find below the details of the latest communication between the
FG and the #BBOG
1. LETTER FROM #BBOG Co-Convener Oby Ezekwesili to the FG at 8.20 P.M.
From: Oby Ezekwesili
Date: 15 January 2017 at 8:20:43 PM WAT
To: HonMinister InfoCul
Subject: Re: #BBOG LETTER
Thanks Minister Mohammed for your letter of the 14th January in
response to ours.
Can you please quickly provide us more details of the tour duration
and detailed logistics including the names of the local and
international media on the delegation.
We need those information to enable us send you a more substantial
letter conveying our acceptance to join the “Guided Tour”.
Many thanks for your invitation.
Blessings,
Oby
2. RESPONSE FROM THE FG TO #BBOG
Dear Mrs Ezekwesili,
Thank you for your letter which I received via email this Sunday
evening, at 8:20 pm, seeking more details on the planned trip to the
North East.
Let me also express how glad I am that #BBOG is willing to reconsider
its decision not to join us on the trip
The trip will last two days, starting on Monday, 16 Jan. 2017.
Concerning the logistics, the team will be ferried to Yola by the
Nigerian Air Force, from where a select group will join the NAF search
mission to Sambisa (Please see below for the programme).
On the list of the local and international journalists accompanying
us, please see the names below:
1. Stanley Nwosu FRCN
2. Fred Ayo NTA
3. Anthony Forson NTA
4. Solomon Chung VON
5. Ariyo Obagbemile FMIC Photographer
6. Amaka okafor Channels TV
7. Kabiru Owoyomi Channels TV
8. Felix Onuah Reuters
9. Rotimi Jikanmi NAN
10. Ola Awoniyi AFP
11. Seun The Nation
12. Samson Adeleke CCTV (To syndicate video to international broadcasters)
13. Sola Fabiyi Punch
14. Joseph Mutah CPS
Note: The times of London Correspondent is on standby
Thanks and best regards
Alhaji Lai Mohammed
Minister of Information and Culture
PROGRAMME
Arrive Monday do the exercise and depart Tuesday
Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR)
Programme is broadly
ISR Day/ Night – planning brief
– Flight over Sambisa
– Debrief
Ex wash up / Media Interview.
