Over 200 girls were abducted from the Government Secondary School in Chibok Borno state by Boko Haram in April 2014.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said that he will not accept responsibility for the kidnap of the Chibok girls because he does not control Boko Haram.
The former President said this in a video published by BBC on Twitter recently.
Over 200 girls were abducted from the Government Secondary School in Chibok Borno state by Boko Haram in April 2014.
This led to a massive outcry globally, which gave birth to the Bring Back Our Girls crusade that was championed by many notable figures all around the world.
Army was not strong enough
According to Jonathan, the only blame he can take is that the Nigerian Army during his tenure, were not strong enough to rescue the Chibok girls.
He said “But as a president, of course you know it is not the president that goes to the field. You have security and intelligence officers that do the work.
“Let me admit that yes, maybe they did their best but their best was not good enough for us to recover the girls. That I cannot say I am right or I am wrong. That does not mean I am trying to remove myself from any blame.
“I may not be blamed for the action but I could be blamed that my security intelligence system was not strong enough to rescue the girls. If I as a politician could tell the whole world that my political ambition for any office is not worth the blood of a single Nigerian, how would I be happy that girls have been kidnapped? I am not that kind of character.”
Shettima Vs Jonathan
On Wednesday, November 21, 2018, the Governor of Borno state, Kashim Shettima dismissed Jonathan’s narration of the Chibok girls incident.
According to reports, Jonathan, in his new book titled, My Transition Hours said the Chibok girls issue was used against him in 2015.
ALSO READ: Jonathan attacks presidency, Gov Shettima over comments on his book
Shettima however countered the former President and accused him of sitting on the findings of a committee set up to investigate the matter.
The Governor also rubbished Jonathan’s book, describing it as a ‘presidential tale by mid-day’.
2019 election
According to SaharaReporters, the former president also spoke on the upcoming elections saying: "We’re a bit worried about the neutrality of the relevant agencies of government because with previous elections, I was not in the field. Of course, after every election, people will complain naturally. Those are the areas people are getting worried, but I believe the elections will come and go and those bodies, the INEC, the Police, the Army and the Department of State Security (DSS) will be able to do well."
Goodluck Jonathan served as President of Nigeria from 2010 – 2015. He was defeated in the elections by President Muhammadu Buhari.