The army and the police yesterday disagreed over who should carry the can for the February 19 abduction of 110 Dapchi schoolgirls.
The Army said it “formally” handed over security in Dapchi to the police as its men moved to another operation, but the police said there was no such handover.
The army dismissed as “misleading”, alleged withdrawal of troops to aid the abduction of the Government Girls Science Technical College students in Dapchi, Yobe State.
Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Operation Lafiya Dole, Col. Onyeama Nwachukwu, in a statement in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, said the allegation against the military “is not only unfortunate, but also very far from the truth”.
Yobe State Governor Ibrahim Geidam had reportedly alleged that the withdrawal of the troops from the area was responsible for the attack and abduction of female students of the college.
Col. Nwachukwu said Dapchi town was handed over to the police following the return of peace and civil authority in the area.
“Contrary to the comments credited to Governor Ibrahim Geidam, troops earlier deployed in Dapchi were redeployed to reinforce Kanama following attacks on troops’ location at the Nigerian – Nigerien border.
“This is on the premise that Dapchi has been relatively calm and peaceful, and the security of Dapchi was formally handed over to the Nigeria Police Division located in the town.
“Therefore, troops’ redeployment was done in tandem with the exigencies of operation as against the misconstrued notion.
“Several local councils and communities, hitherto, under siege by the insurgents were liberated by troops who continue to trail and decimate remnants of the insurgents in the hinterlands, the security of such liberated communities and towns fall in the hands of the sister security agencies”.
Col. Nwachukwu noted that the Theatre Command would not be joined in the blame game, but rather remained committed to ensuring successful implementation of the counter-insurgency operation in the North-East.
He explained that the recent dislodgement and further decimation of the insurgents from their enclaves in the Sambisa forest and the Lake Chad region was a clear testimony of the effective operations against the 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”.
“We assure parents, government, the good people of Yobe and indeed, members of the public that we will not rest on our oars in the search and rescue of the abducted school girls and any other persons held captive by the terrorists,’’ he said.
But Police Commissioner in Yobe State, Sunmonu Abdumalik in a statement said: “The statement by the Military of formal handing over of Dapchi town to the Nigeria Police Division in Dapchi is not correct and untrue, as there was no time that the military informed the Police of their withdrawal, consult 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.
“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.”
