Fact-Finding Committee On Chibok Abduction Denies Allegation Of Manipulation

The Presidential Fact-Finding Committee on Chibok Abduction on Thursday denied the allegation that the presidency was on a mission to either frustrate or manipulate its report.

This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja by Mr Kingsley Osadolor, the spokesperson of the committee.

The statement said the committee had read recent reports insinuating that the presidency was on a mission to either frustrate or manipulate its report.

It said the reports had emerged on the heels of reactions to comments credited to some officials of the Federal Government.

“The Presidential Fact-finding Committee on Chibok Abduction wishes to state categorically that those who have expressed their opinion on aspects of the committee’s terms of reference are not members of the committee.

“They have never attended any meeting of the committee, nor have they been participant-observers at the various interactive sessions the committee held in Abuja, Maiduguri, and Chibok.’’

The statement said that no presidency official had been privy to the minutes of the proceedings of the committee since it commenced work following its inauguration on May 6,

It also said that the committee had issued statements and granted interviews as the need arose, adding that the committee had communicated through its designated member/spokesperson.

“The committee wishes to assure Nigerians and other stakeholders that the statements credited to certain officials are their personal views, which did not emanate either directly or indirectly from the committee.

“Since the its inauguration on May 6, there has been no meeting between the committee or anyone or more of its members and the presidency.

“The committee has never been invited to give any secret or open briefing on its work or findings so far.’’

The committee stressed that it was not being teleguided.

It also said that the committee was now on the home stretch of its assignment, adding that no staff of the presidency had been obliged with a snippet of what it was working on.

The statement stressed that the committee had not issued any interim report.