Group Urges Vigilance In Schools To Curb Students’ Abductions

Afonne Emmanuel
Feb, Fri, 2021

Defence/Security

Group urges vigilance in schools to curb students’ abductions

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By Emmanuel Afonne

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Sustainable Initiatives for Nurturing Growth (SING), has called for security vigilance in schools across the country following the rising cases of abduction of school children by bandits.

A statement issued in Abuja on Friday by Mr Victor Agi, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the organisation, stated that the abduction of school children had reached a point where more drastic action was needed to stop such acts.

Agi said that the abduction of students of Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara, in the early hours of Friday and others portend a serious danger to the future of Nigeria and the destiny of the younger generation.

“These targeted attacks at school students, is to say the least, highly condemnable, and should not be encouraged to continue.

“It is a traumatic experience that no Nigerian child should be subjected to, and it is high time the government and relevant stakeholders put a complete stop to these cowardly acts by terrorists, bandits and kidnappers.

“Schools are places for learning and education, and if the society agrees that we are as developed as we are educated, then, the security of our schools should be paramount,” Agi said in the statement.

The group, therefore, called for security to be tightened up around high risks communities to forestall reoccurrence, while also calling for measures to rid the Northern region of banditry.

“We must be wary of activities and moves that intend to make banditry and kidnapping lucrative to perpetrators.

“These are crimes which must be tackled with every sense of responsibility.

“Efforts at making crimes acceptable should be condemned and discouraged by the state in its entirety.

“When we also encourage politicisation of security through our statements and body languages, we end up emboldening criminals.”

SING urged government to swing into action for the immediate rescue of all victims of kidnapping and banditry.

It also called for the activation of relevant security operations that would reduce crimes to its barest minimum.

“We urge prompt action by both the Federal and government of Zamfara that will lead to the rescue of the innocent school students.

“Relevant security apparatus should be immediately deployed to ensure the safe release of the abducted students, while the criminals are properly apprehended and brought to book.

“It is equally advised that a state of emergency be declared on school security in the Northern region until government finds a lasting solution to the incessant kidnapping which has become a high paying business for criminals.

“The Kagara school abduction is still fresh in our minds; with no report of their release yet it is, therefore, highly unthinkable that another attack could be condoned,” the statement added.

SING commended President Muhhamadu Buhari for the untiring effort he had made to tackle terrorism but urged him to take more actions that could put an end to criminal activities in the country. (NAN)

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