Nigerians have condemned the ‘talking and talking’ about the school girls abducted in Chibok when some government officials ought to have resigned, or fired.
Over 200 girls were snatched on April 15 from their hostels at Government Secondary School Chibok, Borno State by the Islamic fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram.
Abubakar Tsav
Former Lagos State Police Commissioner, Abubakar Tsav, laid the blame on the doorstep of President Goodluck Jonathan, who he said has failed the nation by the way he handles the matter.
Tsav wondered in an exclusive interview with TheNiche how such a thing could happen in a state under emergency, regimented by military, police and other security agents.
He condemned security personnel for their laxity and knocked political leaders for refusing to accept responsibility.
He blamed the government “for the whole thing,” saying, “Our leaders are not prepared to take responsibility but only interested in offices. How can this happen in a state that has a state of emergency.
“In fact, Jonathan has failed; he is confused and Nigerians should better take their destinies into their hands.
“We are not taking things seriously in this country, what bothers us is election. People want office but they don’t want to take responsibility.”
Tsav wondered how it was so easy for the insurgents to move the girls from their school through a long distance to Sambisa forest without being detected by the armada of security on the ground.
“If you are a father and your child is in in the hands of an unknown person, you know how you will feel. In fact, what happens is a total failure of our system.”
However, Tsav advised that since the situation has got this dangerous, dialogue should be applied to free the girls, instead of force that can lead to the death of the captives.
“I think the way out now is to use diplomatic means. If they use force, it will not save these girls. The situation is very dicey.”
Former Kaduna State Governor, Balarabe Musa, lamented that nobody is taking responsibility, and blamed Jonathan since, as Nigeria’s chief security officer, he has all the resources to exercise the power of that office.
“It is incompetence”, Musa said, then suspected political manipulation to making a point.
“Sani Abacha could have done anything to get what he wanted, so anybody could as well do that,” he stated.
He also criticised the way information on the abduction was shrouded in secrecy in the beginning, adding: “We are left with the situation where we don’t even know the truth. Until recently we did not know the number of the girls abducted.
“Now we know, but we never know how those who escaped managed to escape because nobody is speaking the truth.
“In any other country in the world, this would have led to the downfall of the government in a democratic way because of the pressure. Some people would have resigned but we don’t have that culture in Nigeria.
“With impunity and money politics going on, where people who ought to talk won’t talk, it is very difficult to know what can be done.”
A constitutional laywer, Wale Ogunade, also expressed disgust that no government official has resigned over the matter, saying it smacks of insensitivity.
“They won’t do anything because they (the abducted girls) are other people’s children,” he said.
He reiterated that the ruling class is “careless about the security and welfare of ordinary Nigerians, all they care is to secure their homes. If you go to their homes, you will be surprised by level of security even when they are not there.
“There are many breaches in terms of security and protocol in Nigeria. But security should be the priority of the government to the people. Security is for everyone and not for some people. On this matter somebody should have resigned; at least the buck stops at someone’s table.”
There is outcry in Nigeria and beyond, with women storming the streets daily in Abuja and other parts of the country to register their anger over the abduction.
The international community has also joined its voice to the calls for the safe return of the girls to their parents.
On May 5, Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, threatened to sell the girls.
“I abducted your girls. I will sell them in the market; by Allah …there is a market for selling humans. Allah says I should sell,” he said on a video obtained by AFP and broadcast on CNN.
Shekau’ audacity backfired, however.
In reaction to it, the United States, United Kingdom, France, and China have promised to aid Nigeria to free the girls and capture the terrorists.