TheCable

Coordinator of National Information Centre, Mr Mike Omeri, says the over 200 schoolgirls in Boko Haram captivity are close to freedom.

Omeri, who is also the director-general of the National Orientation Agency, said the “chief intelligence officer” of the insurgents recently arrested by the security agents is helping with the rescue effort.

He also said the other “key members” of the sect that have been arrested are helping with information on the girls, who were abducted on April 14/15 from their school in Chibok, Borno State, while writing their final exams.

The military recently said an accomplice of the insurgents had been arrested, and later announced that female Boko Haram members had also been nabbed.

At the weekly media briefing at the national briefing centre on Monday, Omeri also said President Goodluck Jonathan was “working assiduously to ensure that the girls are rescued alive”.

Calling for more security awareness on the part of the public, Omeri said: “I want to appeal to landlords to know their tenants because some people with dubious character live among the population.”

Omeri was unable to confirm the escape of 63 women from the hands of Boko Haram.

He said: “At this juncture, we don’t want to speculate. We are still trying to get more information on the matter.”

He initially denied that the women were abducted when it was first reported two weeks ago.

The 63 women who escaped were part of the 70 women and children reportedly abducted by Boko Haram at settlement near Chibok last month.

Of the 276 girls kidnapped from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, 57 girls have escaped, while 219 are still in the hands of Boko Haram, according to official figures.