The Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has said the Federal Government was fooling itself in the manner the Dapchi girls were abducted and released.
The governor, a fierce critic of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), made this known in a statement released on Thursday.
He said the way the release, on Wednesday, of the girls was orchestrated raised many unanswered questions.
Also, Fayose wondered how a government that claimed to have defeated Boko Haram could have watched while the insurgents abducted and returned the girls unchallenged.
He said, “One wonders the basis for the party to applaud President Muhammadu Buhari’s claim of bringing back home those innocent Dapchi girls that ought not to have been abducted in the first place if not for the government’s laxity.
“Most importantly, that the abduction and return of the girls took place without resistance is a sign that the APC-led federal government has lost the war against insurgency, the basis for which it came to power. It is also a clear indication that Nigerians can no longer depend on the clueless government for their safety.
“The removal of military checkpoints in Dapchi ahead of the abduction, as confirmed by Ibrahim Geidam, governor of Yobe state, clearly shows the complicity of the federal government and some individuals profiting from the whole saga.
“Despite security alerts by the locals, the military looked the other way, which necessitated the damning report by the Amnesty International. To the amazement of Nigerians, 24 hours after, the abductors brought back the girls. I believe the true story of this Dapchi abduction will be told one day.”
However, he rejoiced with the parents of the girls on the return.
He urged Nigerians not to lose hope, saying the Peoples Democratic Party would wrest power for the APC, which “operates through propaganda”.