The controversies surrounding the release of the Dapchi Schoolgirls do not seem to be going away soon, as a new report by a non-existent Sergent David Bako surfaced, alleging that the abduction was staged. But the report, which has been debunked as WhatsApp lies, did not add up from the go.
According to the broadcast making rounds on Social Media especially on WhatsApp, Bako had sent an email to an “unknown” news media in Paris, revealing how the abduction was orchestrated by President Muhammadu Buhari’s loyalists in the Army, of which he was among.
He alleged that the kidnap was to establish that President Buhari led administration is working, which would enable him remain in power beyond 2019, as PDP and Obasanjo led Coalition are already gaining momentum.
However, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has debunked the report, saying it’s a classic example of misinformation and fake news.
“I can tell you categorically that this David Bako is a fake. There is no such soldier in the Nigerian Army. There was no conspiracy anywhere.
“The intention of those behind the disinformation and fake news is to cause disaffection between Christians and Muslims, and between Southerners and Northerners.”
The Nigerian Army also issued a Statement, urging the public to disregard the report as it could not find anyone called Sgt David Bako, who either serves in the army, deserted or dismissed in its record.
“The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a news report making round on Facebook and other social media to smear and drag the Nigerian Army into politics of calumny by mischief makers, that one deserted Sergeant David Bako leaks how Dapchi Girls abduction was planned in the villa and executed with N80 million.
“The Nigerian Army therefore put the record straight that it has crosschecked its records and cannot find any one call Sergeant David Bako who neither serves in the Army, deserted or dismissed.
Open Source Intelligence reveals that the website Dailyglobewatch.eu with country code top-level domain (ccTLD) .eu used in publishing the stories is obviously fake and therefore the information is not correct.
“Based on our findings the website was registered on the 14 of April 2017 and the last updated was on the same date and will expire on the 14th April 2018, we are very familiar with reports of this nature and will advise the general public to disregard such claim and desist from sharing such information on the New Media as this is against the Nigerian Cybercrime Act 2015.”
Facts versus Fake News
The writer alleged that he and the Army drove into the school in what he called a “Commando Style”, through the school gate and the night guards took to their heels on sighting them and hearing of their chanting “western education is a sin”.
He then said they drove straight into the school dormitory and ordered the girls to get into the trucks they brought with them.
But according to Khadija Grema, one of the abducted girls who spoke after they regained freedom, they were on the verge of having dinner when they heard gunshots which threw them in confusion.
She further narrated that they ran to the waiting hands of the insurgents at the gate and that the insurgents were disguised as rescue operators.
The insurgents had then called on a vehicle, which took them away from the school.
Another school girl, Haminatu Usman also narrated the same ordeal as Grema, saying they all rushed to the school gate.
“When we reach the school gate and were trying to open it, two vehicles parked in front of it.
“About half of the students were standing outside. Some of us ran towards the vehicle thinking it was Police”
What was revealed by both girls who were witnesses and victims of the abduction is obviously contrary to what the unknown Bako claims about entering the school and driving to the dormitory.
According to the writer, the report that five of the girls died was not true as they were ordered not to shoot or kill any of them.
But Grema also revealed that five of them had died on the journey as a result of the congestion they encountered over the long trip.
“There were five of us that died. Those that died were not killed by Boko Haram.
“They died because they were trampled upon.”
The writer did not seem to know that the girls who were reported dead were not said to have been killed intentionally.
Also, the Writer’s allegations that the abduction was stage-manage would be non-conforming with the established fact made by Aisha Wakil, known as Mama Boko Haram, who said that the insurgents contacted her after they kidnapped the girls.
Wakil added that the insurgents had promised to return the girls after her plea.
“I begged of them and said please let this not be another 1,000-plus days of Chibok girls, and they laughed and said no.
“They will definitely give us the girls. All I am begging Nigerians is to calm down, be prayerful, everything will be over in God grace”.
Mrs. Wakil has been known to the group for a very long time. She is said to have circumcized the young boys before things fell apart for the group which was at the time non-violent.
So recognized was her relationship with the group, Former President Goodluck Jonathan, whose supporters now believes an imaginary Bako, appointed her a member of the Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the Northern Region of Nigeria. She is currently into Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), an aspect of Law which she studied.
The piece also introduced the said Bako as a “Christian soldier” but he all of a sudden begins to inform his readers about the plan to “read the Qur’an on the sea”, a claim which would have raised questions as to why those who plan such will involve “Christian soldier”. He also spoke of the suggestion of Cattle Colonies as a plot towards ethnic cleansing whereas it is instructive to note that suggestions of Cattle colony came months before his alleged false flag operation, he never explained why he joined in the plan even when the plan was against his people.
The writer also claimed they wanted to look like Boko Haram whereas Fatima Abdu, 14, Zahra Bukar, 13, Fatima Bukar, 13, and Yagana Mustapha, 15, all stuends of Government Girls Technical College in from Dapchi, who escaped the Boko Haram attack, told the UK Guardian that those who came to abduct them actually tried to pretend to be soldiers.
