By: Akeem Oyetunji As expected, the Amnesty International Report on the abduction of over 200 girls in Chibok Government Secondary School has been generating reactions from government quarters.
In the report released on Friday, Amnesty International claimed that Nigerian military high command had been informed of the plan to abduct the girls four hours before it was carried out by the Islamist sect, Boko Haram, but did not do anything.
“After independently verifying information based on multiple interviews with credible sources, the organisation today exclusively revealed that the Nigerian security forces had more than four hours of advance warning about the attack but did not do enough to stop it.
“The small contingent of security forces based in the town – 17 army personnel as well as local police –attempted to repel the Boko Haram assault but were overpowered and forced to retreat. One soldier reportedly died, “Amnesty’s Africa Director, Netsanet Belay stated.
Reacting to the report, the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, said it would be strange for military to have prior knowledge of the abduction and not being proactive.
He however assured that the Federal Government would investigate the findings contained in the Amnesty International report released on Friday.
“It is strange that soldiers sent there to defend the citizens will hear the warnings and not do anything. We are going to investigate the Amnesty report,” Maku told BBC.
Meanwhile, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade has also reacted to the allegation, describing it as unfounded and a pre-designed blackmail.
Olukolade told AFP, “That body is simply at it again. They just want to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it. Their allegation is unfounded as usual.
“The report is just a collation of the rumours, views and allegations of their fellow detractors and local operatives.
“The issues listed are even stale and have been severally addressed and clarified.
“The whole package by Amnesty International is nothing but a pre designed blackmail material”.
