Though the federal government is not yet ready to trade blames on why the kidnap of Dapchi Government Science and Technical College girls in Yobe State was not resisted, the Governor of Yobe State, Ibrahim Gaidem has officially traced the kidnap to the withdrawal of troops from Dapchi a week before the attack, insisting that the absence of the troops paved way for painful but successful attack on Monday, February 19, 2018.
It was reported that several villagers saw the girls wailing while being transported away from the school compound without any help insight.
Already, the State Government on Monday, shutdown the school to allow frayed nerves become calm down as additional security details are deployed to every school within the three key Boko Haram States of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa stste.
According to the governor, “soldiers were withdrawn from Dapchi barley a week before the insurgents struck”.
Explaining more while playing host to Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State in Damaturu, the state capital, Gaidem averred that “I blame the whole attack on Dapchi on the military and the defence headquarters who withdrew troops from Dapchi”.
“The attack occurred barely a week after the military withdrew the soldiers from there.
“Before then, Dapchi has been peaceful, there was never such incident. But just a week after they withdrew the troops, Boko Haram came to attack the town.
“When I met the theater commander on why the military were withdrawn, he said they have shortage of manpower. To me, it is not an excuse because its duty bound for the Federal Government to recruit and bridge the gap.”
The governor was quick to liken the incident to a Boko Haram attack on Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, also in Yobe, during which some students were killed, decrying “if the troops were on ground, both attacks would not have occurred”.
“Let me be quoted anywhere, the military must take blame for the attack on Dapchi.
“The same thing happened in 2013 when the military suddenly removed troops guarding the town and a week later Boko Haram went there to attack the town and the secondary school there killing 29 students.”
On the other hand, the federal government has ended the speculation on the real number of girls involved in Dapchi kidnap, saying while 906 students came to school on that day, 110 cannot be accounted for, meaning that the total number of victims is 110.
The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed gave the explanation while addressing newsmen in Abuja.
Business Hilights also gathered that yesterday, Monday, President Muhammadu Buhari hosted the rescued lecturers from the University of Maiduguri and others at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa and assured that e very effort will be made to rescue all victims of Boko Haram insurgency alive.
