Atiku Faults FG Over Kebbi Schoolgirls’ Release

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Wednesday criticised the Federal Government’s handling of the Kebbi schoolgirls’ rescue, saying their return should not be portrayed as an achievement but as evidence of the country’s deepening insecurity.

His reaction was issued by his media office following public comments from presidential aide Bayo Onanuga.

Atiku said the release of the 24 students, abducted from Government Girls’ Secondary School, Maga, on November 17, exposed a system where armed groups operate without fear. He argued that the incident showed how kidnappers now carry out attacks, engage security agencies, and walk away without consequences.

The criticism came after Onanuga stated during a television interview that security agencies tracked the kidnappers in real time and contacted them during the operation. He said officers must act with caution to avoid harming civilians held by the bandits, whom he noted are known to security operatives.

Atiku rejected this account, describing it as an attempt to present a national tragedy as government success. He questioned why the kidnappers were not arrested or stopped if their movements were monitored and asked why officials were speaking with criminals instead of dismantling their networks.

His statement argued that the government’s approach suggests criminals now act like an alternative authority, collecting ransom, negotiating freely, and returning to the bush untouched. He said no country should praise itself for negotiating with kidnappers it claims to have under watch.

The schoolgirls were taken during a midnight attack that left one staff member dead. Twenty-four remained in captivity until their release on Tuesday. President Bola Tinubu welcomed their return and asked security agencies to intensify operations to rescue others still held across the country.

Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris also announced that no ransom was paid, explaining that the rescue came through coordinated action by security personnel.