Abducted Kebbi schoolgirls’ release not a victory – Atiku

The freed schoolgirls

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Federal Government over the release of abducted schoolgirls in Kebbi State, saying their freedom should not be presented as an achievement but as evidence of Nigeria’s worsening security environment.

In a statement issued by his media office on Wednesday, Atiku said the return of the schoolgirls was “not a trophy moment” but “a damning reminder that terrorists now operate freely, negotiate openly, and dictate terms while this administration issues press statements to save face.”

The statement was a response to comments made by Presidential Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, during an interview on Arise News TV on Monday.

Onanuga had highlighted the role of the Department of State Services and the military in tracking the kidnappers in real time and establishing contact to secure the girls’ release without paying ransom. Punch