Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has asked security agencies to take responsibility for failing to stop the abduction of 110 students of Government Girls’ Science and Technical College (GGSTC), Dapchi, Yobe State on Monday, February 19.He stated that the buck passing between the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force is unacceptable.
Dogara, in a statement yesterday, said rather than trading blame, the various security agencies should strengthen inter-agency collaboration and intensify efforts towards rescuing the girls.
The Nigerian Army and the Police had, on Monday, traded blame over the abduction of the students.
The Army insisted that the security of Dapchi, where the students were kidnapped, was handed over to the Police, upon certifying that relative peace had been restored
But the Police faulted the claim of the army, stating that at no time did the military hand over the security of Dapchi town to the force.
Speaking on the abduction, Dogara said that Nigerians will hold both the army and police responsible for the embarrassing abduction.
His words: “The statements credited to the Army and the Police in which they tried to exonerate themselves from any culpability in the unfortunate and embarrassing abduction of innocent girls from their school in Dapchi, Yobe State, is highly condemnable.
“This is unacceptable and the House of Representatives, and indeed Nigerians, will hold the security agencies responsible. They all bear responsibility for this unfortunate incident.
“The traumatic experience of the Chibok abduction, which is still fresh in our minds, should have served as a warning signal to security agencies to provide adequate security protection to all schools in the North-East.”
The Speaker sympathised with the parents of the abducted girl
“I want to use this medium to console the parents of the abducted girls and the entire Dapchi community over this unfortunate incident.
“I also urge all Nigerians and people of goodwill from all over to pray for the safe return of the girls,” he said.
The lawmakers also resolved to set up an ad-hoc committee to visit the troubled area to have an on-the-spot assessment and sympathise with grieving parents of the abducted students.
Leading debate on the motion, Lawan informed the House that in the evening of Monday, February 19th, convoys of Boko Haram, in an attempt to escape the military onslaught against them, invaded Dapchi in Busari Local Government in Yobe State and abducted 110 students of the school.
