#Bringbackourgirls: Fight between Maku and CNN Correspondent

By Ehi Ekhator

The abduction of the 276 students of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State has continued to attract international criticism who believe that Nigeria government was solely responsible for the failure of protecting the students during their exams.

Maku and Sesha

Yesterday, there was a big argument between the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku and CNN correspondent in Nigeria, Isha Seshe  argued that Nigerian military refused to hearken to warnings of mass abduction before the incident actually happened.

Sesay said she spoke with many Parents who revealed that the government was aware of the abduction, and even during the incident, the soldiers refused to come for immediate counter.

Responding to the accusation, the Minister revealed that the Federal Government had earlier warned that no exams should be written in these locations, and even the Director of Waec also warned that the students should be transferred to another location, but the local authorities refused to obey the instruction.

He added that contrary to the information CNN gathered, the Federal Government was not aware that the students were writing exams after the previous instruction not to, adding that the schools were supposed to be closed.

Maku said ” We didnt know exam was taking place in that school,  we didn’t know. We had earlier written that exams shouldn’t take place there, we said those students should be shifted to Maiduguri, we didn’t have the warning, we understand that even the WAEC had objected to writing exams in that school, but local authorities had better wisdom

“When this was taking place, if we knew for example, what we expected was that, we would have to fortified security the school and in the area and again, schools were closed

“From all the information we have received so far, i can tell you clearly that first, the Principal was not there, the information didn’t come to us atleast, at the national level on time and we heard the information the following day because it happened in the night, Maku added.

The WAEC director had earlier said that they wrote to the three states where state of emergency was declared to relocate the students due to insecurity problems and there was no response, the director added that when the response eventually come, the government said they were providing securities and there was no need for relocation.

All effort to convince them failed as they threatened that if they didn’t conduct the exams in the school, the world will blame them, the Directed said.

Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, yesterday reacted to the information revealed by Amnesty International that the soldiers were aware of the abduction.

Shettima who responded through his media aide, Isa Gusau, said that he read report by Amnesty and since the accusation was directed at the Federal Government, he would have less to comment.

He said “The Governor is very much committed to supporting ongoing search and rescue efforts to free Borno’s precious daughters. More than any other person in position of authority, he is deeply pained by that unfortunate abduction and committed to providing all necessary support for security agencies and community volunteers towards freeing his daughters.

“Just for the record, Governor Kashim Shettima has since assuming power, accorded nothing short of outstanding support for all security agencies in the State and this has been well acknowledged by different heads of security agencies at various times.

“Borno State under his tenure, has provided over 300 brand new Hilux patrol vehicles to them; it fuels these vehicles daily, provide maintenance and other logistics materials/support.

“Through a strong network of communities involved, Governor Shettima works very hard in generating and providing information they process for their intelligence.

Continuing, the media aide disclosed that the state provides N1m to families of every soldier killed in combat as palliative and to motivate others on battle field.

“Also, security chiefs have unfettered access to the Governor as they see him at the shortest time with or without prior appointment, day or night. He acts on his daily reports appropriately.

Gusau also said his boss has inspired youth volunteers, trained, equipped them with patrol vehicles and pays them salaries to do community policing to complement the effort of the troops. Borno does these and more in the last three years of the Shettima administration,” the statement concluded.

What Naija Center News (NCN) could not comprehend in the information gathered is the reason Nigerians and the international governement and critics have not in anyways indict the Governor of Borno State who the WAEC has revealed was advised to relocate the students.

Many Nigerians, despite the international believe, also believe that the state government is aware of the problems and likely to know the whereabout of the abducted students.

This was revealed by the ex-militant, Asari-Dokubo who also believes that the children might not be missing as he concluded that it is a well management abduction.

#Bringbackourgirls: Fight between Maku and CNN Correspondent