By Baba Yusuf
Coordinator of the National Information Centre (NIC), Mr Mike Omeri, has said that one of the suspected sponsors of the 486 people travelling in 35 busses to Port Harcourt that were arrested in Abia state have been identified by security agents.
Omeri disclosed this yesterday when he briefed the press on the efforts being made to secure the release of abducted Chibok girls in addition to fight against Boko Haram.
He said: “Altogether, 144 of the number have been released. It is expected that the media and the general public will be kept abreast of further developments. Importantly, one of the suspect connected with the package of the trip has been named and investigation is painstakingly continuing to unravel the issues involved in the incident.”
Omeri said reports claiming that about 60 women and children were allegedly abducted last weekend were not true.
He said investigations “indicate that there is nothing on the ground to prove any act of abduction as reported.”
“It is on record that our findings were also corroborated by the position of the Borno state government as conveyed by Governor Kashim Shettima, who said that there are no sufficient facts on the alleged abduction of 60 persons.
“We hereby wish to state that based on available facts before us there was no abduction of 60 persons in Borno state.”
He, however, assured that troops had continued to carry out surveillance activities around the areas “where the abducted girls are suspected to be held.”
