Jonathan's Wife Disputed the Kidnapping of Chibok Girls - Baba-Ahmed (Rewritten)
In a recent interview on TVC, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, former Political Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, sharply criticized the handling of national security during Goodluck Jonathan's presidency. Baba-Ahmed, known for his outspokenness, labelled Jonathan's management of security as weak and ineffective, stating that it allowed Boko Haram to become a full-blown threat.
The rise of Boko Haram as a significant insurgency happened under Jonathan’s presidency (2010-2015). One of the most notable security crises during this period was the abduction of 276 schoolgirls from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, on April 14, 2014.
Baba-Ahmed emphasized that these girls were kidnapped while waiting for exams. He lamented the failure to adequately address the abduction and the ongoing insecurity, stating that many of the Chibok girls remain unaccounted for, more than a decade after the incident.
The abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls has been a significant and ongoing issue in Nigerian politics. It has been widely criticized that the handling of the security situation during Jonathan's presidency was poor, with Baba-Ahmed being one of the latest to voice such criticism.
During the interview, Baba-Ahmed did not suggest any current political motivation behind his comments. He dismissed claims that the abduction was politically motivated to discredit Jonathan's administration. Instead, he stated that Goodluck Jonathan and his wife did not initially believe reports of the mass abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok by Boko Haram terrorists.
Baba-Ahmed further expressed frustration that successive Nigerian leaders have not been willing to confront the worsening security challenges head-on. These criticisms were voiced publicly as recently as July 2025.
In summary, Baba-Ahmed's comments could potentially impact the perceptions of Goodluck Jonathan's administration and its handling of the Boko Haram insurgency and the Chibok schoolgirls' abduction. He emphasized that Boko Haram kidnapped girls from Chibok town waiting for exams, and that many victims remain unaccounted for, more than a decade after the incident. Baba-Ahmed expressed broader concern about the lack of courageous leadership addressing Nigeria’s insecurity.
References: [1] News Source 1 [2] News Source 2
- Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a former Political Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, lashed out at Goodluck Jonathan's administration, asserting that the management of security during Jonathan's presidency was weak and ineffective, allowing Boko Haram to gain strength and become a significant insurgency.
- The Chibok schoolgirls' abduction in 2014, during Jonathan's presidency, remains a prominent issue in Nigerian politics, with Baba-Ahmed being the latest critic to denounce the poor handling of the security situation.
- In a recent interview, Baba-Ahmed voiced his frustration that successive Nigerian leaders have failed to address Nigeria's worsening security challenges decisively, with particular reference to the Boko Haram insurgency.
- Despite critics' allegations, Baba-Ahmed dismissed claims that the Chibok schoolgirls' abduction was politically motivated to undermine Jonathan's administration, noting that the initial response from Jonathan and his wife was slow and inadequate.
- The ongoing debate about the mishandling of security during Jonathan's presidency, as expressed by Baba-Ahmed, sparks discussion in General News, Politics, Crime and Justice, and War and Conflicts sections of mainstream news outlets in Nigeria, as well as Policy and Legislation discourse.
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