The most upsetting event that occurred during his tenure as president under former President Muhammadu Buhari, according to former presidential spokesperson Malam Garba Shehu, was the kidnapping of more than 200 students from Government Science Secondary School in Kankara, Katsina State, December 2020.
Speaking about the event that garnered international attention, Shehu remembers informing a senior Nigerian Army official about the extent of the kidnapping.
He claims that the anonymous official minimized the degree of the kidnapping by informing Shehu that only “less than 10” pupils were taken, which is untrue given that around 300 students were ultimately found to be missing.
During an interview with Daily Trust, Shehu reportedly revealed that he had been deceived by military leaders at the time, causing a significant misunderstanding with the international press.
“Everyone was phoning, and Nigeria was the center of attention on BBC World.” Shehu said, “So you needed to get the facts before you speak.”
The man on the ground added, “Don’t believe all these things they’re telling you about 280.” The people they abducted were under ten years old. I told international broadcast systems that again.
Shehu added that despite the military’s failure to explain the mistake, he took the initiative to apologize to the Katsina State Government and the parents of the students who were kidnapped in response to the outcry.
“I released a statement expressing my regret to the state’s government, citizens, and all of the children’s parents,” he stated.
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In response to a question about whether the army officer who deceived him suffered any consequences, Shehu said, “I don’t know whether there was [any consequence].”
Another time Shehu disclosed being deceived was when Boko Haram militants killed more than fifty farmers in Borno State.
He said that “someone was putting a spin on it, misleading me as presidential spokesperson,” but he would not identify the offending party.
After then-President Buhari came in Katsina on a private visit, the kidnapping at the Kankara school took place just hours later.
Numerous people condemned the episode, and it raised questions about how the administration was managing insecurity in the country’s north.
The incident is still regarded as one of the most troubling periods in Nigeria’s recent security history, even though the students were subsequently freed following discussions.
