Locating and rescuing the school boys abducted from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, few kilometres from Daura, Katsina State, on Friday night is top on the agenda of the ongoing Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja, BusinessDay gathered at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday.
This is coming as the Federal Government is said to be under intense pressure to locate and rescue the school boys.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who has been on a week-long visit to his home state since Friday and is expected back at the weekend, joined the FEC meeting virtually from his country home in Daura.
Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, had hinted last week that the president would be participating in the FEC meeting virtually from Daura.
Reports indicate that the Boko Haram insurgents have shared the students into various camps controlled by them inside the Katsina forests to frustrate government’s search and rescue plans.
The ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) had, in a statement through the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led interim Caretaker Committee, expressed “frustration over the persistence of insecurity”, especially in the northern parts of the country.
The FEC meeting, which is currently holding at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja, is being presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
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Babagana Munguno, National Security Adviser, delivered the Muslim opening prayer, while Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, said the Christian prayer.
In attendance are the Permanent Secretary, Ecological Funds Office, Habiba Lawal, standing in for the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, who is self-isolating with his spouse after some members of his family tested positive for COVID-19, and Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari.
Fifteen ministers are physically attending the meeting. They are Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello; Education, Adamu Adamu; Agriculture, Sabo Nanono; Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed; Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami; Aviation, Hadi Sirika; Defence, Bashir Magashi; Environment, Mohammed Abubakar; Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi; Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, and Minister of State for the Environment, Sharon Ikeazor.
The Head of Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan, and other ministers are participating in the weekly council meeting from their various offices in Abuja.
