TheCable

Mike Omeri, coordinator, National Information Centre and director-general, National Orientation Agency (NOA), has described as untrue reports that Boko Haram sect abducted 20 women at Chibok in Borno State.

The news that the sect asked for cows in exchange of the release of the women had gone viral earlier in the week.

Speaking at a news conference in Abuja, Omeri described the news as “misinformation”, adding that there was enough security presence that could have forestalled such attack.

“The story on the abduction of Fulani women is improbable; troops on ground have said no such report has been received,” he said.

“It has been confirmed that there is no police report to that effect that Fulani women have been abducted.’’

Omeri said the story could likely be part of the general misinformation peddled to create the impression that the insurgents are inaccessible and appealed to the media to exercise discretion in their reportage.

He said surveillance, air and land patrols were ongoing in the north-east and other parts of the country to curtail the activities of terrorists and armed groups.

The coordinator said that occasional encounter between the troops and insurgents had necessitated continuous cordon-and-search in many locations.