Former presidential spokesperson, Malam Garba Shehu, has described the abduction of over 200 students from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State, as the most distressing and difficult incident he had to manage during his tenure as a senior aide to former President Muhammadu Buhari.
In an interview with Trust TV, Shehu recounted the harrowing experience surrounding the December 2020 abduction, revealing that he was misled by a top official of the Nigerian Army, whose name he declined to mention. According to Shehu, when the news of the kidnapping broke and international media houses were seeking clarity, he contacted the military spokesperson for accurate information.
At the time, the army spokesperson told him that fewer than ten students had been abducted, contradicting emerging reports that close to 300 boys were missing. Shehu explained that he relied on the military’s account because the official claimed to be on the ground with top government and military figures.
“The global spotlight was on Nigeria—BBC World and many others were calling to find out what had happened,” Shehu said. “I needed to speak with someone credible, someone on the ground. I called the army spokesperson, and he told me, ‘Don’t believe what they’re saying about 280 students being taken. The number is less than 10. I’m here with the Defence Minister and the Army Chief.’ Based on that, I repeated the information to international media.”
However, when it became clear that the number of abducted students was significantly higher, Shehu said he took the initiative to issue a public apology to the Katsina State government and the parents of the missing students, doing so without prior consultation with the Nigerian Army.
“I released a statement apologising to the government and people of the state, as well as to the parents of the abducted children,” he stated.
When asked whether the army official who provided the inaccurate information faced any disciplinary action, Shehu responded, “I don’t know whether there was.”
He also revealed that a similar case of misinformation occurred during another tragic incident in Borno State, where about 52 farmers were reportedly massacred by Boko Haram insurgents. According to Shehu, someone attempted to downplay the severity of the attack and mislead him while he was serving as the presidential spokesperson.
These revelations offer a glimpse into the communication challenges faced at the highest levels of government during national crises, especially in the face of pressure from both the public and international community.
