The Nigerian Army and the Police yesterday traded blame over the abduction of 110 girls from the Government Technical and Science School, Dapchi in Yobe State on Monday, February 19. In confirming the redeployment of its troops from Dapchi a week before the abduction, the Army insisted that the security of the community was handed over to the Police, upon certifying that relative peace had been restored. But the Police faulted the claim of the army, stating that at no time did the military formally hand over the security of Dapchi town to the force.
The Federal Government had, on Sunday, confirmed the abduction of 110 girls from the school by Boko Haram terrorists. The abduction is reminiscent of the April 14, 2014 kidnap of over 200 students of Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State. While justifying the withdrawal of troops from Dapchi, the army refuted claim by Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Geidam, that the withdrawal of troops facilitated the abduction of the schoolgirls.
Spokesman for Theatre Command, Operation Lafiya Dole, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement issued in Maiduguri yesterday, said the allegation against the military “is not only unfortunate, but also very far from the truth.” His words: “Contrary to the comments being circulated, troops earlier deployed in Dapchi were redeployed to reinforce troops at Kanama following attacks on troops’ location at the Nigerian-Nigerien border.
“This was on the premise that Dapchi has been relatively calm and peaceful and the security of Dapchi town was formally handed over to the Nigeria Police Division located in the town.” But, Sumonu A. Abdulmaliki, Commissioner of Police, Yobe State Command, stated that at no time did the military handover the security of the area to the Force.
The Police Commissioner stated that at the time the attack was carried out, the military was in charge of maintaining security in the area.
Abdulmaliki said: “The attention of the Yobe State Police Command has been drawn to press statement from Headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole subscribing that “Dapchi has been relatively calm and peaceful and the security of Dapchi town was formally handed over to the Nigeria Police Division located in the town”.
“The statement by the military of formal handing over of Dapchi town to the Nigeria Police Division in Dapchi is not correct .
There was no time that the military informed the Police of their withdrawal, consulted or handed over their locations in Dapchi town to the Police. “The whole of Yobe State is still under security emergency which the Police, the military and other security agencies are battling to ensure lasting peace.”
The police called on the public to discountenance the position of the military on the handing over. “Members of the public in Yobe State are implored to disregard and discountenance this claim that the military formally handed the security of Dapchi town to the Nigeria Police as untrue, unfounded and misleading.
“The Yobe State Police Command will continue to cooperate with other security agencies in ensuring safety and protection of lives and property of people of Yobe State,” the Commissioner of Police stated.
Governor Geidam had, on Friday and Sunday, during separate sympathy visits by Governors Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano) and Kashim Shettima (Borno) blamed the February 19 incident on troops’ withdrawal from Dapchi. The governor had argued that had the withdrawal not happened, the suspected terrorists would not have succeeded in executing the abduction.
The governor had said: “I blame the whole attack on Dapchi on the military and the defence headquarters, who withdrew troops from Dapchi. The attack occurred barely a week after the military withdrew the soldiers from there.
“Before then, Dapchi had been peaceful. There was never such incident. But just a week after they withdrew the troops, Boko Haram came to attack the town. “The military must take blame for the attack on Dapchi. The same thing happened in 2013 when the military suddenly removed troops guarding the town and a week later, Boko Haram went there to attack Buni-Yadi and the secondary school there, killing 29 students.”
While describing Geidam’s claim as “unfortunate” and “misleading”, Nwachukwu further hinged the redeployment on the compelling need for reinforcement at Kanama, following attacks on troops’ location at the Nigerian-Nigerien border.
“The attention of Headquarters Theatre Command Operations Lafiya Dole has been drawn to a statement credited to Governor of Yobe State, currently circulating in the media, in which he reportedly alleged that the withdrawal of the military was responsible for the recent suspected Boko Haram terrorists’ attack and abduction of female students from Government Girls Science and Technical College in Dapchi.
This allegation is not only unfortunate, but also very far from the truth. “Although this headquarters will not attempt to join in any blame game, it is very expedient to set the record straight for the benefit of posterity. In carrying out its mandate to counter terrorism and insurgency in North-Eastern Nigeria, Operation Lafiya Dole has been alive to its responsibilities vis-a-vis the fight against Boko Haram insurgents.
“Several communities and local governments that were hitherto under siege of the insurgents have been liberated and the insurgents pushed out. While troops continue to trail and decimate the remnants of the insurgents in the hinterlands, the security of the liberated communities and towns fall in the hands of the sister security agencies.
“The recent dislodgement and further decimation of the insurgents from their enclaves in the Sambisa and the Lake Chad Islands are testimonials to the effective operations of troops against the insurgents.
“Additionally, troops are regularly conducting long-range patrols, raids and ambushes to canalise and take out fleeing insurgents.
Given all these efforts, it is very astonishing and shocking that such unfortunate comment and allegation is being touted against the loyal and dedicated troops of Operation Lafiya Dole,” Nwachukwu said. He maintained that the redeployment of troops from Dapchi was occasioned by exigencies of operation.
He said: “Troops’ redeployment was, therefore, done in tandem with the exigencies of operation and not as misconstrued. It is thus obligatory to state that the allegation reportedly attributed to the Governor of Yobe State is misleading and misinforming. “We reiterate our commitment and determination to carrying out our mandate to fight Boko Haram terrorists in the North- East.”
Nwachukwu reiterated the commitment of the military in carrying out its mandate to fight Boko Haram terrorists, restoration of peace and rescue of the abducted school girls.
The army spokesman called on the people to cooperate with the military and provide credible information on Boko Haram insurgents.
“We also implore members of the public to continue to support us with credible information on the whereabouts of the Boko Haram terrorists. “We would also like to assure the parents, government and the good people of Yobe State and, indeed, members of the public that we will not rest on our oars in the search and rescue of the abducted schoolgirls and any other persons held captive by the terrorists,” the army said.
Comments
Post a Comment