Amnesty International (AI) says
the Nigerian military was aware of the presence of Boko Haram insurgents in
Dapchi, Yobe state, hours before 110 schoolgirls were abducted.
The organisation said its
investigation revealed the security forces “failed to act” on advance warnings
that a convoy of Boko Haram fighters was heading towards Dapchi on the day of
the abduction.
The insurgents raided the
Government Girls Science and Technical College in Dapchi on February 19, after
which the schoolgirls went missing.
Amnesty said a police source
disclosed that officers fled the town over the fear that Boko Haram may
“overpower them”.
“Evidence available to Amnesty
International suggests that there are insufficient troops deployed in the area,
and that an absence of patrols and the failure to respond to warnings and
engage with Boko Haram contributed to this tragedy,” Osai Ojigho, AI director
in Nigeria, said in a statement.
“The sighting of an armed convoy
at Futchimiram immediately sparked several phone calls to alert authorities.
Sources who informed the military commander in Geidam at 2pm report that he
responded to them by saying he was aware of the situation and was monitoring
it.
“At around 3pm, the convoy
arrived in Gumsa, where they remained till 5pm. People in Gumsa called Dapchi
villagers to warn them that Boko Haram fighters were on their way. One villager
who received such a call said he informed a police sergeant who promised to
notify the Dapchi division police officer (DPO).
“At around 6:30pm, when residents
were heading to the mosque for evening prayers, Boko Haram members entered
Dapchi. Witnesses said Boko Haram fighters asked for directions to the military
post, the local government office and the girls’ school.
“A police source in Dapchi told
Amnesty International that officers fled because they feared that the Boko
Haram fighters would overpower them.”
According to Ojigho, the
organisation’s crisis advisor for military operations described the military’s
response as “woefully inadequate”.
Victims and eyewitnesses
interviewed were quoted to have said the insurgents arrived Dapchi at about
6:30pm and operated for one hour.
“During the attack, army
officials both in Geidam and Damaturu were again alerted. The military only
arrived in Dapchi one hour after Boko Haram left,” Amnesty said.
“The Nigerian authorities must
investigate the inexcusable security lapses that allowed this abduction to take
place without any tangible attempt to prevent it.”
TheCable was unable to get the
reaction of the military to AI’s claims.
Jude Chukwu, army spokesman, did
not answer calls to his phone nor respond to text messages sent.
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