Amnesty International insists Nigerian army, police ignored warnings of Boko haram attack in abduction of 110 schoolgirls

The Amnesty International has blamed the Nigerian security agencies - military and police - for ignoring the calls and warnings ahead of the attack on Dapchi that led to the abduction of 110 schoolgirls in Yobe state.

On Tuesday, March 20, 2018, the Nigeria’s director of Amnesty International, Osai Ojigho, said the Nigeria government and security agencies have failed in their duty to protect the people of the country.

“The Nigerian authorities have failed in their duty to protect civilians, just as they did in Chibok four years ago.

“Despite being repeatedly told that Boko Haram fighters were heading to Dapchi, it appears that the police and military did nothing to avert the abduction,” Ojigho said.

Amnesty International further alleged that the Nigerian army and police received at least five phone calls warning that Boko Haram was ready to attack Dapchi but little or nothing was done to prevent the attack which eventually led to the abduction of 110 girls from the Government Girls Secondary School.

“The military withdrew troops from the area in January, meaning the closest personnel were based one hour’s drive from Dapchi,” Amnesty International said in its report.

Nigerian military deny knowledge of attack ahead

The Nigerian military has denied knowledge of the Boko Haram attack that led to the abduction of 110 schoolgirls in Dapchi area of Yobe state ahead.

Reuters reports that a military spokesman denied that the military had been warned of Boko Haram presence in the region.

The military spokesman said: “There was nothing like that.”

The spokesman was also quoted to have said if Amnesty had important information, it should notify a presidential panel set up in the wake of Dapchi to investigate the incident.

On February 19, 2018, a total of 110 girls from Dapchi, aged between 11-19, were kidnapped from a government school in the community.

The kidnap had sparked another cry for the release of the abducted girls while echoing the abduction of 276 students from the town of Chibok by the Islamist insurgency in 2014.

Buhari insists on negotiating with terrorists

While President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is yet to rescue all the 276 girls abducted in Chibok in 2014, the kidnap of the 110 schoolgirls in Dapchi, Yobe state may pose as a thorn in his flesh as the 2019 elections draws closer.

However, the President during a meeting with sacked US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, said he will rather negotiate with the abductors of the girls so as to minimise and avoid losing more lives.

During his visit to Dapchi, President Buhari had also said neither his administration nor the Nigerian security agencies will rest till the abducted Nigerian schoolgirls are all rescued and reunited with their parents and families.

Amnesty International insists Nigerian army, police ignored warnings of Boko haram attack in abduction of 110 schoolgirls

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