The Nigerian military today reaffirmed determination to rescue hundreds of captives, including more than 200 Chibok schoolgirls, being held by insurgent fighters belonging to Islamist group, Boko Haram.
The acting Director of Defense Information, Colonel Rabe Abubakar, expressed this determination in a statement in response to recent media reports on the fate of the Chibok schoolgirls and other captives.
"The Nigerian military and other security agencies are working round the clock to secure the release of not only the Chibok girls but other innocent citizens who are held hostage by the terrorists," the military spokesman said.
He added, "The military, being a component of the society, is equally worried and is doing everything possible to address the current security challenges. The search for abducted Chibok school girls and the rescue of other Nigerians in hostage has never relapsed as could be attested to in recent times where hundreds of women and children were rescued by the military through its coordinated operations.
“The military will continue to sustain the operation until the entire North East is cleared of all terrorists and miscreants."
The military spokesman refuted a recent newspaper report that quoted an escaped captive as alleging that most of the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls had become pregnant. Colonel Abubakar urged the media to always verify their information before publishing.
"The DHQ is not unmindful of the media’s good intention in this regard," said the spokesman, adding, "however, we wish to advise reporters and any other stakeholders to be good partners in ensuring (the Chibok schoolgirls') safe rescue and successful termination of terrorists' campaign.”