YOBE STATE GOVERNOR, IBRAHIM GAIDAM MAKES DAMNING CONFESSION ON THE KIDNAPPING OF THE DAPCHI SCHOOLGIRLS

The President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government may just have landed itself in some trouble, as the Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam, has revealed that, but for the sudden withdrawal of troops from Dapchi, the abduction of the over 105 schoolgirls by boko haram insurgents would not have been possible.

Recall, that President Muhammadu Buhari is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

According to information reported by Vanguard, the troops were pulled out of Dapchi, a week before the insurgents raided the school and disappeared with their victims.

Mr. Gaidam said this when he hosted the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, who was in Damaturu, on a sympathy visit.

He said: “I blame the whole attack on Dapchi on the Military and the Defence headquarters, which withdrew troops from Dapchi. The attack occurred barely a week after the Military withdrew the Soldiers from there”, the Yobe Governor said.

“Before then, Dapchi has been peaceful, there was never such incident. But just a week after they withdrew the troops, boko haram came to attack the town.”

The Governor regretted that the absence of the Soldiers in the troubled area was not the first, recalling the earlier attack in 2013, on a Science Secondary School in Buni-Yadi, shortly after the Military removed Soldiers guarding the town. At least 29 students were killed in that attack.

“Let me be quoted anywhere, 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 the town and the Secondary School there, killing 29 students.”

The comment by the Governor coincided with the despatch of a second Presidential team by President Muhammadu Buhari to the State, to get first hand information on the kidnap of the girls, which has seriously embarrassed his administration.

The Presidential emissary comprised the Information Minister, Lai Mohammed  and the Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd).

The Minister said the delegation would meet with State Government officials, and Principal of the School, to know the update on the missing schoolgirls.

He recalled that it was the second time in four days that a Federal Government delegation would visit Yobe over the issue of the missing Dapchi girls.

The Yobe State Government recently said it has spent N15.8 billion in the last three years on fighting the boko haram insurgency. Most of the expenditure are in form of support for the Military, the State said.

Earlier on Sunday, Mr. Shettima who was in Damaturu on behalf of the Northern Governors Forum which he heads, expressed his sympathy to the government and people of Yobe State over the “unfortunate incident”.

“On behalf of the 19 Northern Governors Forum, we have come to show our sympathy and let you know that we are with you in this traumatic period”, he said.

Mr. Shettima speaking further, called on the security agencies to ensure the abducted girls are rescued on time.

Recall, that over 100 schoolgirls were kidnapped last Monday, by the terrorists, when they attacked the Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi.

The Federal Government is yet to acknowledge the exact number of girls kidnapped by the terrorists. Parents of the girls, however, released 105 names of missing girls believed to have been abducted by the terrorists.

The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, and that of interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, are currently in Yobe State, as part of efforts to review the situation.