No Chibok girl was released —Service Chiefs

By Ayo Fadimu

Five days after being named the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, on Sunday paid his first operational visit to the Theatre Command in Maiduguri.

He was accompanied by the Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao and the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Awwal Gambo.

Irabor, along with his team, was received by  Maj.-Gen. Farouq Yahaya, Theatre Commander,  Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj.-Gen. Abdul Khalifa, the General Officer Commanding, 7 Division of the Nigerian Army and other principal staff officers of the Military Command and Control Centre at the Headquarters of the Air Task Force.

Abdul Khalifa told journalists, in an interview, that the CDS would be meeting with the Service Chiefs, Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Chiefs of Training and Operations from the Defence Headquarters, Army, Navy, Air Force and other field commanders, where they would be briefed on recent operations in the theatre.

Khalifa said that the service chiefs would also pay courtesy visits to the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Ibn-Garbai and Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno.

In the meantime, Lt General Irabor, has debunked the story that some Chibok girls were released during clearance operation in the Northeast.

Irabor denied the claim in his interaction with journalists during his Operational visit to the Theatre Command of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri on Sunday.

He said that the Chibok girls were not in the Military’s custody.

“We do not have any of the Chibok girls in our custody, so if they are not with us we have nothing to confirm again.”

He noted that, “It was the desire of the military the get the Chibok girls back safely and if our operations have helped those said to have escaped, I think we are glad.” said Irabor.

The CDS, said he was in the Theatre to appraise the security situation and to also get briefing from the officers on ground.