Schoolgirls’ Release Isn’t a Victory — Terrorists Now Act as Alternative Government, Says Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Federal Government’s handling of the recent abduction and release of schoolgirls in Kebbi State, insisting the development should not be celebrated as a security success. According to him, the incident shows that terrorists now operate as an “alternative government” in some parts of Nigeria.

In a statement from his media office on Wednesday, Atiku faulted comments made by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who had described the girls’ release on Arise News as a security achievement.

Atiku described Onanuga’s remarks as a “shameful attempt to whitewash a national tragedy and dress up government incompetence as heroism.”

He also questioned Onanuga’s assertion that security agencies tracked and contacted the kidnappers in real time, arguing that such intelligence should have resulted in the arrest or neutralisation of the abductors rather than negotiations.

Atiku said:
“Truth be told, the release of abducted Nigerians is not a trophy moment; it is a damning reminder that terrorists now operate freely, negotiate openly, and dictate terms while this administration issues press statements to save face.”

He continued:
“If, as Onanuga claims, the DSS and the military could ‘track’ the kidnappers in real time and ‘make contact’ with them, then the question is simple: Why were these criminals not arrested, neutralised, or dismantled on the spot? Why is the government boasting about talking to terrorists instead of eliminating them?”

Atiku argued that the cycle of mass abductions, ransom payments, and unhindered exits for bandits proves that terrorists now “negotiate, collect ransom, and walk away untouched,” while government officials praise their supposed cooperation.

He further stated that no responsible nation applauds itself for negotiating with criminals it claims to monitor, adding that the administration has lost control of national security and is relying on propaganda to conceal its failures.

According to him:
“Under Tinubu, terrorists/bandits have become an alternative government — negotiating, collecting ransom, and walking away untouched — while the presidency celebrates their ‘compliance’.”

He added:
“No serious nation applauds itself for negotiating with terrorists it claims to have under surveillance. No responsible government congratulates itself for allowing abductors to walk back into the forests to kidnap again.”

Atiku accused government spokespersons of misleading Nigerians, stating:
“Onanuga and his ilk should stop insulting Nigerians with propaganda. If the security agencies truly had eyes on the kidnappers, then letting them escape is a national disgrace that smacks of complicity. At a time Nigerians need protection, the government is offering fairy tales by moonlight.”

Vanguard had reported that the attack occurred on November 17, when gunmen invaded Government Girls’ Secondary School, Maga, killing a staff member and abducting 25 students. One escaped shortly after, leaving 24 in captivity until their release on Tuesday.

President Bola Tinubu, in a statement issued by Onanuga, welcomed the development, expressing relief that “all the 24 girls have been accounted for” and calling for intensified security deployment to rescue other abducted Nigerians nationwide.

Opinion Nigeria News