ABUJA (Sundiata Post) I initally decided not to write on the Dapchi Kidnapping saga because I just wanted to “enjoy” what others were writing on it. But that changed I after I read that the girls were flown in planes.
Planes?
Now, let us look at some scenarios:
* If it was just an airstrip (and not conventional airport) that was used, who gave the militant’s air traffic clearance to take off and land?
*Most planes that can sit more than 50 passengers use turbine engines and usually need conventional airports to land and take off, so does it mean Boko Haram now has an airport with full complement of control tower and air traffic controllers?
* The closest airfield to Dapchi is in Diffa which is about 200 kilometres from Dapchi. The other conventional airport is in Maiduguri. It may interest you to know that Diffa is in Niger Republic.
* If you check the two pictures (taken via Google Earth) that accompany this post, you will see that the closest airport (or even airstrip), within Nigeria, to Dapchi is the Maiduguri airport.
* Does it mean the girls were first taken to Niger Republic before being flown back to Nigeria.
* Between Diffa (in Niger Republic) and Nigeria, there is a big stream which actually forms the boundary between the two countries. So if they were taken to Diffa by road from Dapchi, how did they cross?
Now the questions:
* Which airport was used to convey the girls in a plane?
* No aircraft can fly in any country’s airspace without being picked up by the radar. How come they were not seen via radar?
* Even if you visit flyradar24.com, you will see every aircraft that is airborne in any country at that particular minute. Did anyone see their plane?
I am a reporter. I have put these scenarios and questions across so that readers and commentators can draw their own conclusions.
And it is these scenarios and unanswered questions that make the tales of one Sergeant Bako a bit worthy of being read again even if they sound like moonlight stories.