Army, police knew about Dapchi attack - Amnesty International

Amnesty International has accused Nigerian security forces of being culpable in the Boko Haram attack that led to the abduction of 110 girls in a school in Dapchi, Yobe State last month.

Boko Haram militants invaded Government Girls Science and Technical Secondary School in Dapchi, Bursari local government area of Yobe on Monday, February 19, 2018, and abducted 110 schoolgirls.

According to Amnesty International, authorities were warned mere hours prior to the incident that terrorists were on their way to Dapchi, yet the army and police were unable to even confront them and stop them from taking the girls.

In a report released by the agency on Tuesday, March 20, Amnesty's Nigeria director, Osai Ojigho, said inexcusable security lapses led directly to the girls' abduction.

The report read, "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.

"The military withdrew troops from the area in January, meaning the closest personnel were based one hour’s drive from Dapchi. The Nigerian authorities must investigate the inexcusable security lapses that allowed this abduction to take place without any tangible attempt to prevent it."

Despite Amnesty's claim that the Nigerian army and police received at least five phone calls warning that Boko Haram was on the way to Dapchi as early as four hours before the attack, a military spokesman told Reuters that the report is false.

The abduction was a repeat of another Boko Haram attack that happened when militants invaded Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State and kidnapped 276 female students in April 2014. After several escapes and releases, 112 of the girls remain in captivity of the deadly terrorist group.

No rest until Chibok, Dapchi girls are back - Buhari

When President Muhammadu Buhari visited Yobe on March 14, he promised stakeholders that his administration will not rest until all the schoolgirls abducted in Chibok and Dapchi are returned.

He said, "There will be no rest till the last girl, whether from Chibok and Dapchi, is released. The girls, like all our citizens, must enjoy unhindered freedom and pursue their legitimate aspirations.

"The Dapchi and Chibok students are our girls and must enjoy our protection. They must live to achieve their individual ambitions, to be great women of tomorrow. It is our duty to protect them."

Buhari also assured the stakeholders present at the meeting that his administration will not pursue military action to get the girls back, but will negotiate with their abductors to ensure safe return.