NOA Official: President Jonathan Not Visiting Chibok

Contrary to earlier reports, a senior official of the Nigeria’s National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mike Omeri, has denied reports that President Goodluck Jonathan plans to visit Chibok in Borno State, the place where over 200 school girls were abducted by violent Islamist militants, Boko Haram, on Friday.

According to VOANEWS online,  Omeri, who is the Director General of NOA, and Coordinator of National Information Center, described the reports that President Jonathan would visit Chibok on Friday as “misinformation” being peddled both locally and internationally to create tension and panic among the population.

Omeri was quoted to have said: “I am not sure of the report and its sources. As coordinator of the National information Center, I don’t have information; therefore I doubt its authenticity."

“Since this incident started, lots of misinformation has been going on both local and international. And Nigerians are out there who are not part of what is happening at home are feeling agitated and worried,” said Omeri. “We have so many of such stories even in some of our local newspapers that are not true.”

Omeri says such misinformation is the reason the Federal Government  has established an information center to enlighten Nigerians, both home and abroad, on what is really going on.

* DG of National Orientation Agency, Mike Omeri, denies reports of Jonathan visiting Chibok

“What we have done is to ensure the streamlining of information to serve as the only credible source to the people, available and put in place by the government Nigeria. So, what happens here is that any other agency engaging in this activity channels reports and outcomes to this center and it is further relayed to citizens,” said Omeri.

The Nigerian government has been criticised for allegedly not doing enough to rescue the abducted schoolgirls since 14th of  April by the Boko Haram extremists. President Jonathan's led administration has also been criticized for initially refusing international help to find the school girls.

Omeri says the government has stepped up efforts in search of the abducted school girls following what he says has been an intensified support from the international community.

Source: Legit.ng