Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Federal Government regarding the release of abducted schoolgirls in Kebbi State, arguing that their freedom should not be hailed as an achievement but rather as proof of Nigeria’s deteriorating security situation.
In a statement from his media office on Wednesday, Atiku described the girls’ return as “not a trophy moment” but “a damning reminder that terrorists now operate freely, negotiate openly, and dictate terms while this administration issues press statements to save face.”
The statement came in response to remarks by Presidential Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, during an Arise News TV interview on Monday. Onanuga had credited the Department of State Services (DSS) and the military for tracking the kidnappers in real time and securing the girls’ release without paying ransom.
The presidential aide explained that, although security operatives possess the necessary intelligence, their operations are often limited by the risk of collateral damage to civilians held by bandits.
“The security people, they know all the bandits that are operating in that axis. They know them. They know where they operate. Our people are living around where they operate. So you can’t just go there. They need to be very careful that in the course of chasing these bandits, they don’t go and bomb innocent Nigerians,” Onanuga said.
Atiku, however, dismissed this account as “a shameful attempt to whitewash a national tragedy and dress up government incompetence as heroism.”
He questioned, “If, as Onanuga claims, the DSS and the military could ‘track’ the kidnappers in real time and ‘made contact’ with them, then the question is simple: Why were these criminals not arrested, neutralised, or dismantled on the spot? Why is the government boasting about talking to terrorists instead of eliminating them? Why is kidnapping now reduced to a routine phone call between criminals and state officials?”
The former vice president added that the administration’s explanation indicates “terrorists and bandits have become an alternative government, negotiating, collecting ransom, and walking away untouched, while the presidency celebrates their compliance.”
“No serious nation applauds itself for negotiating with terrorists it claims to have under surveillance. No responsible government congratulates itself for allowing abductors to walk back into the forests to kidnap again,” Atiku stated.
The abduction took place on November 17, when armed assailants attacked the Government Girls’ Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, killing one staff member and kidnapping 25 students from their dormitory. One girl escaped shortly afterward, leaving 24 in captivity until their release on Tuesday.
President Tinubu welcomed the release through a statement issued by Onanuga, expressing relief that “all the 24 girls have been accounted for” and praising the security agencies involved. He also called for more “boots on the ground” in high-risk areas and directed forces to prioritise rescuing other captives across the country.
Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris confirmed that no ransom was paid, attributing the successful rescue to coordinated efforts by security personnel.