Military’s Claim On Location Of Abducted Chibok girls Is Propaganda -Obasanjo

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines Friday, May 30th, 2014

Oyewale Oyelola

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has described the claim by security forces on discovery of the location of over 200 female students abducted by Boko Haram in Chibok, Borno state on April 14, 2014 as public relations strategy to win support of Nigerians.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo disclosed this in media interview at his Abeokuta Hilltop residence on Thursday.

Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo

The elder statesman said: “You military agencies have faced a lot of hardknock due to high rate of insecurity and issue of abduction of Chibok girls. May be the military want to try little bit of public relations but this issue is not what you use PR or propaganda for. Its serious issue, it is an issue that because the parents are grieved and whatever statement we make or action we take should focus on how to rescue the girls alive thereby making their families happy and give every Nigerians a sense of security.

“I believe the Americans should be able to confirm the statement. The should be able to say we concur with what chief of defense staff said or question the statement because the have access to technology like satellite to confirm the location of the girls.”

He berated people describing the abduction of the girls as controversial.

“Why should abduction of people’s daughters be controversial and who is making it controversial. Were those girls abducted or not? Will anybody be bold enough to tell the parents of those girls, that we don’t believe your girls were missing.

“If the presidency is obsessed with the one thing only (that people are trying to bring down the government) and any other thing concerning Nigeria as secondary, I think that it is unfortunate.”

According to him “When I went to Maiduguri, Borno state the Boko Haram members told me that they have been in existence during my regime. They said that their objectives is sharia and when I was in government I allowed them to practice sharia law because sharia law is part of our constitution.”

He doubted if all the abducted girls would still be in one location after 46days of abduction.