Chibok Girls: Nigerian Military Was Aware Of The Impending Attack Four Hours Before Boko Haram Began Their Assault On Chibok

Amnesty International yesterday revealed that the Nigerian Army and the Borno State government had knew of the Boko Haram attack on Chibok, four hours before it occurred.

One of the kidnapped girls father while talking to CNN revealed that they have seen helicopters fly in to supply aids and material to the insurgents, and they have reported this to Nigerian army who have done nothing.

Amnesty International (AI) urged the Nigerian Government to make sure these girls are rescued and also provide their families with adequate medical and psychological support.”

AI’s Africa Director (Research and Advocacy), Netsanet Belay in a recent statement said that the Army knew about the impending attack on Chibok four hours before it happened but did nothing to stop it.

He said, “Damning testimonies gathered by Amnesty International reveal that Nigerian security forces failed to act on advance warnings about Boko Haram’s armed raid on the state-run boarding school in Chibok which led to the abduction of more than 240 schoolgirls on 14-15 April

“The fact that Nigerian security forces knew about Boko Haram’s impending raid, but failed to take the immediate action needed to stop it, will only amplify the national and international outcry at this horrific crime.

“It amounts to a gross dereliction of Nigeria’s duty to protect civilians, who remain sitting ducks for such attacks. The Nigerian leadership must now use all lawful means at their disposal to secure the girls’ safe release and ensure nothing like this can happen again.

AI continued: “But an inability to muster troops – due to poor resources and a reported fear of engaging with the often better-equipped armed groups – meant that reinforcements were not deployed to Chibok that night. The small contingent of security forces based in the town – 17 army personnel as well as local police –attempted to repel the Boko Haram assault but were overpowered and forced to retreat. One soldier reportedly died.

“More than three weeks later, the majority of the girls remain in captivity in an unknown location. A climate of confusion and suspicion has so far scuppered efforts to secure their release.”

AI revealed that local civilian patrol (vigilantes) based in Gagilam, a neighbouring village, saw a large group of armed men in motorcycles heading to Chibok and raised the alarm, calling the Army and local officials who in turn called the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, and senior military commanders based in Maiduguri.

“One local official who received one of these SOS calls by Gagilam residents told Amnesty International: “At around 10:00 PM on 14 April, I called [several] security officers to inform them about earlier information I had received from the vigilantes in Gagilam village. They had told us that strange people had arrived in their village that evening on motorbikes and they said they were heading to Chibok. I made several other calls, including to Maiduguri. I was promised by the security people that reinforcement were on their way.”

Meanwhile Two top members of the Nigerian Army has confirmed this damming report even saying that they knew earlier because local herdsmen had called officials to tell them that armed men were asking for directions to Government School in Chibok.

One of the officers said the issue was not getting the information but acting on it, He said: “There’s a lot of frustration, exhaustion and fatigue among officers and [troops] based in the hotspots…many soldiers are afraid to go to the battle fronts”.