Dapchi: DHQ, PDP differ on Amnesty Inta��l report

By Samuel Ogidan and Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have expressed opposing views on the Amnesty International (AI) report that the Nigerian military and security forces got information of plans to abduct the 110 Dapchi school girls and failed to act.
While the DHQ refuted the report, the PDP said that Amnest International had exposed President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government and its a�?manifest failures, deceptions and culpability.a�?
In statement signed by the Acting Director Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. John Agim, the military said that the narratives by AI were outright falsehood and a calculated attempt to whip up sentiments and mislead unsuspecting Nigerians.
It stated that it was meant to demoralise friendly nations and people collaborating with security forces to end the forces of evil in the North East zone.
Gen. Agim said: “For the avoidance of doubts, no security force was informed of Dapchi schoolgirlsa�� abduction as alleged by AI. The Nigerian public and the international community should know that the Armed Forces of Nigeria is a professional military and has attained the highest form of professionalism in line with international best practices. And so, could not have ignored warning of Boko Haram attack only to work tirelessly to get the girls back.”
He insisted that, “it is not proper for an organisation such as AI which do not meant well for Nigeria going by its previous reputation of denigrating the security forces anytime they make gains against the forces of evil to incite the Nigerian public and the international community against the military.
“Some of our service chiefs, senior commanders prosecuting the war against Insurgency and even some heads of security and paramilitary services are from the North East. They have put their lives on the line severally to end the madness in the North East. It is therefore very unfair for AI that does not care if the country survives as a united indivisible entity to come up every time to put doubts in the minds of the people about the military that has remained dedicated to keeping the country one,a�? Agim said.
But the PDP maintained that the AI report on the circumstances surrounding the abduction of the Dapchi schoolgirls indeed exposed President Buharia��s administration and its obvious deceptions and culpability.
While describing the development as heartrending, distressing and disappointing, the PDP said that the report revealed that the security forces got advanced warning but failed to prevent the abduction of schoolgirls in Dapchi, Yobe State.
The party, in a statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said that the report however vindicated its stand that President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) must be held responsible for the Dapchi abduction and several other atrocities committed by insurgents against citizens, particularly in the northern part of the country.
The party commended AI for its courage in exposing the truth, adding that the report further underpins speculations of conspiracy theorems around the abduction and places a huge moral burden on the Presidency.