Retired Major General John Enenche says the Chibok schoolgirls could have been rescued using strategies similar to those employed in recent hostage rescue operations if not for what he described as the “insincerity” of the terrorists involved.
Speaking in an interview aired on Channels Television on July 12, 2026, Enenche said, “For the Chibok case, it would have worked but for the insincerity of the terrorists there. I want to assume that these ones were a bit more sincere in whatever was bargained before they were released than those ones there.”
He said the motivations and internal dynamics of different armed groups often determine the outcome of hostage negotiations, noting that ideologically driven insurgent groups present greater challenges.
Enenche also attributed difficulties during the Chibok crisis to limited inter-agency coordination and inadequate regional intelligence sharing at the time. He said recent rescue operations have benefited from stronger collaboration among the military, police and intelligence agencies, as well as greater support from state governments and local communities.
He urged the federal government to invest in real-time satellite infrastructure and emergency alert systems to improve responses to future security threats.
