The Nigerian military was forewarned about Boko Haram intention to kidnap more schoolgirls but failed to act according to Amnesty International on Tuesday.
The Nigerian Army and the police received at least five calls up to four hours before militants stormed a boarding in Dapchi last month last month, but they did not take measures to stop the abduction or to rescue the girls after they were gathered into vehicles and driven away, Amnesty said in a news release.
The militants carted away 110 schoolgirls.
“The Nigerian authorities must investigate the inexcusable security lapses that allowed this abduction to take place without any tangible attempt to prevent it,” Osai Ojigho, Nigeria director of Amnesty International, said in the news release.
“As an even greater priority, the government must use all lawful means at its disposal to ensure that these girls are rescued,” she added.
Amnesty said its researchers had visited Dapchi and interviewed 23 people, including girls who escaped, parents of abducted girls, local officials, witnesses and three security officials. The rights group said it shared its findings with Nigerian officials two weeks ago.
On the afternoon of the kidnappings, an initial call was made to the army command in Geidam, about 30 miles from Dapchi, informing soldiers that Boko Haram fighters had been spotted outside Geidam. Calls were later made to the command, with the answering officer responding that the military was aware of the situation, Amnesty said.
“However, the evidence documented by Amnesty International shows that the military did nothing to engage with Boko Haram and ensure the protection of civilians,” the report said.
Later in the afternoon, Boko Haram fighters arrived in Gumsa, a town close to Dapchi, and stayed there two hours. Residents of Gumsa called friends in Dapchi to warn them that fighters were on the way.
“One villager who received such a call said he informed a police sergeant who promised to notify the Dapchi division police officer,” Amnesty said.
The group’s researchers learned those police officers had run away because they believed they would be no match for the Boko Haram fighters. Residents said the nearly 50 militants had at least one truck mounted with a high-powered weapon.
In Dapchi, residents said militants had passed the police station on their way in and out of town. At least two people said their friends had told them that they had called the police after seeing militants arrive, but that they had received no response.
However, the military authority has denounced Amnesty International’s account, saying the rights group was trying to undermine “the military” and that it was being “economical with the truth”. They accused the rights group of trying to scuttle the purchase of fighter jets and other weapons by Nigeria from the US to fight the insurgent group. The wonder why the rights group didn’t report its concerns to a committee set up to investigate the kidnapping.
