Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has faulted the Federal Government’s reaction to the rescue of the abducted schoolgirls in Kebbi State, arguing that the development should not be celebrated as an achievement but seen as another reminder of Nigeria’s deepening security crisis.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his media team, Atiku said the freedom of the girls should not be used as a political scorecard.
According to him, the incident reflects “a dangerous reality where terrorists now move freely, negotiate openly, and dictate terms, while the government hides behind press statements to look competent.”
His comments came after the Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, spoke on Arise News on Monday, praising the Department of State Services (DSS) and the military for tracking the kidnappers in real time and making contact with them, supposedly without paying ransom.
Onanuga explained that security agencies often avoid direct confrontation with bandits because the criminals hide among civilians, making rescue operations risky.
“The security agencies know these bandits. They know where they operate, but they also know innocent people live around those areas,” he said. “They must act carefully to avoid harming civilians.”
But Atiku dismissed the government’s explanation, describing it as “a shameful attempt to polish over a national tragedy.”
He questioned why security forces who could monitor and communicate with the kidnappers failed to arrest or neutralise them.
“If the DSS and the military had real-time access to the kidnappers, why were these criminals not captured or dismantled immediately?” he asked.
He criticised the government for publicly admitting to engaging in negotiations with terrorists, saying this normalises kidnapping and emboldens criminals.
“At this point, terrorists and bandits appear to be operating like an alternative government negotiating freely, collecting ransoms and returning to the forests unchallenged, while the presidency issues statements congratulating itself,” Atiku added.
The schoolgirls were kidnapped on November 17, when armed men invaded Government Girls’ Secondary School, Maga, killing one staff member and abducting 25 students. One student escaped soon after, leaving 24 in captivity until their release on Tuesday.
President Bola Tinubu, in a statement also released through Onanuga, expressed relief that all 24 girls were safe and accounted for. He commended the security agencies, directing them to intensify operations and focus on rescuing other captives nationwide.
Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, said no ransom was paid, crediting the rescue to coordinated efforts by the security agencies.
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