Former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar has sharply criticised the Federal Government’s response to the release of abducted schoolgirls in Kebbi State, arguing that their return should not be paraded as an achievement but viewed as further proof of Nigeria’s deepening security crisis.
In a statement issued by his media office on Wednesday, Atiku described the girls’ release 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.”
His comments were a direct response to remarks made by Bayo Onanuga, Presidential Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, during an interview on Arise News TV on Monday. Onanuga had credited the Department of State Services (DSS) and the military with tracking the kidnappers in real time and establishing contact, insisting that the girls were rescued without a ransom being paid.
According to the presidential aide, security operatives often have detailed intelligence on bandit groups but must exercise caution due to the presence of civilians living near their hideouts. He stressed that the risk of collateral damage complicates efforts to apprehend the criminals.
“The security people know all the bandits that are operating in that axis. They know them. They know where they operate,” Onanuga said, adding that the safety of innocent Nigerians remains a critical consideration.
Atiku, however, dismissed the government’s explanation as “a shameful attempt to whitewash a national tragedy and dress up government incompetence as heroism.”
He questioned why, if the kidnappers could be tracked and contacted, they were not apprehended or neutralised.
“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?” he asked.
The former vice president further argued that the administration’s narrative suggests that “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,” he added.
The abduction occurred on 17 November, when armed men attacked Government Girls’ Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi State, killing a staff member and kidnapping 25 pupils. One escaped shortly afterwards, leaving 24 in captivity until their release on Tuesday.
President Bola Tinubu welcomed the news, expressing relief that all the girls had been accounted for and praising security agencies for their efforts. He called for increased military presence in vulnerable regions and instructed forces to prioritise the rescue of other captives nationwide.
Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, also stated that no ransom was paid, attributing the successful release to coordinated action by security personnel.
