As the aides of the Nigerian president rushed to defend the state of insecurity in the country and vilify perceived those ‘making the government looks bad’, the tendency to err continues to climb.
Recall that Freelanews reported that Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari, disagreed with Katsina State Governor, Bello Masari, over the number of boys abducted from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State.
The journalist turned politician stated that only 10 of the abducted students were still in captivity as against the governor’s claim of 333.
In a news bulletin on Sunday, BBC quoted the president’s aide who claimed that the government had already surrounded the bandits and the remaining ten students will soon rejoin their families.
“The Government of Nigeria has said its security forces have surrounded the location where gunmen have kept schoolchildren abducted from a secondary school in Katsina State.
“Spokesman for the President, Mallam Garba Shehu told the BBC only ten children were remaining in the hands of the gunmen according to their colleagues who escaped from the gunmen.
“The number is below figures released by school authorities at the beginning. Garba Shehu said the school children who escaped said 10 of their friends were still with their abductors,” it submitted.
After backlash from Nigerians, Garba took to his micro-blogging handle on Twitter to explain further what he really meant. He wrote:
“Some of the returning students debriefed by the military disclosed that 10 of their colleagues were taken by the bandits. As I said to the BBC, that still needed to be verified.
“Of course this is different from saying that all the others had been been accounted for. The forests and neighboring villages are being searched and parents are being contacted for information about their children.”
Some of the returning students debriefed by the military disclosed that 10 of their colleagues were taken by the bandits. As I said to the BBC, that still needed to be verified.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) December 14, 2020
Of course this is different from saying that all the others had been been accounted for. The forests and neighboring villages are being searched and parents are being contacted for information about their children.
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) December 14, 2020
Instead of pacifying Nigerians, his tweets seemed to have incensed the already tired citizens of the country as all manners of insults were hauled at the spokesman. Some called him a liar while others wished for the speedy end to bad governance which he serves.
GARBAge SHEHU stop lying to the World!
When did the Military debrief the RETURNING STUDENTS—in that hot Night when no one could even Account for himself? 😠The School Registrar said about 668 students are missing AND YET BUHARI is in Daura meeting with Cattles. TELL THE TRUTH! pic.twitter.com/u4exauIOiH
— David Eme (@E_David_O91) December 14, 2020
No Sir, Nigerian Army rescues all the 600 students. They were kidnapped because they didn’t get “Military Clearance” before going to school. Sai Baba!
— Abdul-Aziz Na’ibi Abubakar (@jrnaib2) December 14, 2020
BBC Hausa reported that one of the escapes noted an headcount of 520 but you’re here saying only 10 were taken while parents are aggrieved about their children’s location without any means of seeing anyone but your best action is lying
Time is the greatest enemy of lies
— Arakunrín (@Arakunrin_MFR) December 14, 2020
Mr. Garba Sir, there are no bandits in Nigeria. What we have are TERRORISTS. You people must not “funkynise” a name for known terrorists. Its either Fulani militia (herdsmen) or terrorists be it Boko haram or Iswap. They are all terrorists. Thank you sir.
— Ceasar (@keljykz2) December 14, 2020
Freelanews is the editorial byline of Freelanews.com, used for staff reports, news updates, press releases, and collaborative stories produced by the Freelanews Editorial Team.
