The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dissociated self from the ongoing negotiation with armed bandits over the release of the abdupted students of Government Science School Kankara, Kastina states.
Recall that the Kastina state Governor, Rt Hon Aminu Masari said the bandits had made contact with State Government and they are negotiating with them on how the students would regain their freedom from captivity.
Coordinator Defence Media Operation, Major General John Enenche distanced the military from the negotiation while addressing Defence correspondent on Wednesday in Abuja.
He however assured the public that the military would do everything within its power to secure the release of the students.
While assuring the public and parents of the student that none of them had died in the hands of the bandits, Enenche revealed that troops are patrolling the areas to ensure that the students are rescued unhurt.
General Enenche also gave reasons why the military and other security agencies could not foil the abdoption of the students despite arriving the scene on time.
He said the bandits used the students as human shield while fleeing to safety.
While regretting the death of a police officer who was shot during the abdoption, General Enenche said that the military and other security agencies only shot in the air to scare the abdoptors as they could not risk the lives of the students by shooting directly at bandits.
According to him, “When the troops came, it was not in the best interest of saving lives to start exchanging direct fire, of course firing to scare the bandits was done but not direct fire because the children were being used as human shields.
“What is the end objective when you come to rescue and end up killing those you came to rescue, it will amount to nothing. Of course in the hours of darkness, while that ensued they removed the children”.
He also said that the sudden death of General Officer Commanding 6 Division Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt is an indication that the second wave of COVID-19 is real.
He however, noted that the military is prepared to tackle the new wave of the pandemic.
General Enenche commended the Nigerian Army for the steps taken thus far in combating the pandemic.
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