Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu has apologised for saying that only 10 Kankara schoolboys were kidnapped.
He issued the apology on Friday evening, shortly after his principal, President Muhammadu Buhari, met the 344 Kankara schoolboys released by their abductors on Thursday.
The BBC reported that the presidential spokesman made the claim while disagreeing with Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari on the number of Kankara schoolboys still in the kidnappers’ den four days ago.
“The Government of Nigeria has said its security forces have surrounded the location where gunmen have kept schoolchildren abducted from a secondary school in Katsina State.
“Spokesman for the President, Mallam Garba Shehu, told the BBC only 10 children were remaining in the hands of the gunmen according to their colleagues who escaped from the gunmen. The number is below figures released by school authorities at the beginning. Garba Shehu said the school children who escaped said 10 of their friends were still with their abductors,” BBC reported.
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In his apology, the presidential spokesman said his communication was in no way to downplay the seriousness of the situation.
He explained that the figure was provided by “persons that should ideally know”.
Garba Shehu said, “I apologise for the incorrect communication citing that only 10 students were kidnapped at the science school, Kankara.
“This communication of numbers was provided by persons that should ideally know. These numbers were seen to conflict with what was available at that time.
“Please understand that this communication was in no way done to downplay the seriousness of the situation.
“Please accept my sincere apologies on this matter as we continue to move our great Nation Nigeria forward. Thank you.”
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