Kayode Idowu, Maiduguri
The military has employed the services of local fishermen and farmers in the search for the abducted Dapchi schoolgirls, the head of counter-insurgency operation in the North East (Operation Lafiya Dole), Maj. Gen. Rogers Nicholas, has said.
Speaking at the inauguration of helipad, office complex and residential quarters for officers and airmen at the newly established 171 Nigerian Air Force Detachment in Monguno town by the National Security Adviser, Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno on Tuesday evening, Nicholas said over 200 hours have been spent by crafts combing the Theatre for the schoolgirls.
Nicholas said the National Security Adviser and Chief of Air Staff came down to add value to the ongoing search for the missing Dapchi schoolgirls.
He said both the NSA and CAS have been flying round the Theatre to contribute to the ongoing search for the girls.
He said: “What this means is that nobody is sitting down, sleeping over it. It means that the government is serious in rescuing these abducted girls. Primarily, that is why the NSA is here to see things for himself and add value to what we are doing.
“Having said that, the NSA has also introduced us to some locals — fishermen and farmers — who have very good knowledge of this terrain to work with us in terms of intelligence to contribute to the search efforts we are making.
“The Nigerian Air Force has been airborne since the last three days and we will also declare additional platforms to do this exercise. As I speak, many areas have been covered, over 200 hours have been spent flying, combing the whole Theatre in search of the girls.
“Additionally the ground force are there in various places searching in various places identified.”
