The Minister of information, Lai Mohammed, has said that the Federal Government will do everything possible to prevent a recurrence of school abductions.
He added that the FG would not relent until the missing Chibok and Dapchi girls are reunited with their families.
Lai Mohammed disclosed this in a press conference in Abuja on Friday over the rescue of the abducted Kankara Boys of Government Science Secondary School in Kankara, Katsina State.
“As you are aware, 344 schoolboys who were kidnapped from their school in Kankara in Katsina State last Friday have all been released unharmed. They will undergo necessary medical tests before they are released to their families,” he said.
He added that the series of school abductions by terrorists was unfortunate, as students should not fear going to school, citing the FG’s promises to fight insecurity.
“What happened in Kankara – and in Chibok and Dapchi before it – is totally unacceptable. Our children should not have to go to school in trepidation. The Federal Government is doing everything possible to secure all our schools, and indeed all Nigerians. And we will not relent until all Nigerians can go to bed at night with their two eyes closed.
“The abduction of the Kankara school boys marked the second of its kind under this Administration, coming after the unfortunate abduction of 110 schoolgirls in Dapchi, Yobe State, in February 2018.
“Just like the good news from Kankara, all but one of the kidnapped schoolgirls in Dapchi were rescued unharmed. And in 2014, 276 schoolgirls were abducted by terrorists in Chibok, Borno State, out of which 112 remain in captivity after this Administration rescued over 100 of the school girls.
“The Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari will do everything possible to prevent a recurrence of these school abductions.
“We will not relent until all those who remain missing in Chibok and Dapchi and reunited with their families,” he added.
What you should know
- Nairametrics reported on 17th December that the kidnapped students of Government Science Secondary School in Kankara, Katsina State had been released.
- The schoolboys were abducted by men who arrived on motorbikes and attacked the school last Friday, December 11.
In my opinion, the minister’s promise is not comforting because it’s likely nobody would be held accountable if there is a repeat. Our current crop of politicians irrespective of party affiliations, simply do not see accountability as a central function of leadership. Over the years, school kids have been kidnapped from time to time, government economic and infrastructural reforms derailed and the people responsible had not been sacked or prosecuted as the case may be. Without proper accountability, I don’t take such promises seriously.
Kidnaping as become a very lucrative business in Nigeria. Almost every class of people are doing it . The foreigners have seen the loophole in Nigeria and also come to do it in Nigeria.
Solution: Let PMB enforce the following policies
1. cashless policy of CBN – this would make impossible the kidnappers to get ransoms
2. implement Mandatory use of National Identity Number as contained in NIMC act 2015 – This would help track criminals
3. Database for Nigerian police to track criminals