The mass abductions of mostly students in Sokoto, Kaduna and Borno states in a matter of 10 days is leading a number of security watchers to come to the sad reality that the service chiefs appointed by President Bola Tinubu maybe overwhelmed by the challenges confronting the nation.
While the security experts were reluctant to suggest that it is time for the president to make changes to his national security team, LEADERSHIP Sunday could not get presidential spokespersons to come in defense of the service chiefs in the wake of the abductions of more than 500 citizens.
In a series of events that started with the abduction of more than 200 women and children in Ngala, Borno State on February 29, terrorists appeared to be gaining an upper hand in the battle against insecurity.
The Borno kidnapping was quickly followed by the abduction of 287 students and teachers in Kuriga area of Chikun local government area of Kaduna on March 7.
In the most recent incident, 15 students in Tsangaya in Gada local government were kidnapped by bandits yesterday.
And in all three mass abductions, the terrorists operated for hours with security forces largely absent.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has visited Kaduna State over the kidnap of 287 schoolchildren at Kuriga, Chikun LGA and engage relevant stakeholders in a closed-door meeting.
According to the vice president, President Bola Tinubu has ordered security agencies to leave no stone unturned until the abducted school children are rescued unhurt and returned to their parents.
The vice president who commenced the closed-door meeting in Kaduna at about 6:30pm on Saturday with the Kuriga community leaders, parents of the kidnapped school children, security chief and state government officials also cautioned the media to be guided in their style of reporting in the interest of the security of the abducted children.
Details of the closed-door meeting which ended at about 7:20pm was not disclosed to newsmen.
Senator Shettima however pointed out that the very essence of the existence of government is to secure the lives and property of citizens, assuring that President Tinubu is equal to the task.
He described the incident as pathetic, stressing that, “I am here on behalf of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to empathise with the government and people of Kaduna State over the sad incident of this kidnapping of our school kids.
“The president is personally pained by what happened and has instructed the security agencies to leave no stone unturned until we return our kids to their parents. The president has spoken with the governor of Kaduna State four times; he has spoken with me three times finding out the situation with the rescue efforts of the children.
“As rightly captured by His Excellency, the governor, the situation is pathetic. I will align with His Excellency and impress on our friends in the media, we are all stakeholders in the Nigeria project, therefore we should be more circumspect, let us be more selective in our choice of reporting on the internet, to avoid anything that will hamper the rescue efforts of our kids that are not currently with us. I want to commend you and solicit for your continuous support.
“Once again, on behalf of my principal, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, please, accept our heartfelt sympathy over the incident that has befallen our people.
“Be rest assured that the President is equal to the task. The very essence of the existence of government is to secure the lives and property of the citizens. He has tasked the entire security architecture in the country to get back our kids safely,” the Vice President said.
Meanwhile, Governor Uba Sani while expressing appreciation to the vice president over his visit, expressed optimism about the progress of the rescue effort of the abducted school children.
However, he cautioned the media to be careful in their reportage to avoid risking the lives of the kids in captivity.
He also commended the ongoing effort of the federal government under the leadership of President Tinubu and security agencies to ensure safe returns for the children.
According to the governor, “We have been working with the community as well as the leadership of Chikun local government to ensure that we collaborate with relevant security agencies to ensure all the children return back home safely.”
LEADERSHIP Sunday sent a message to the special adviser to the president on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale on the fate of the service chiefs after the multiple abduction but he opted for silence rather than come to their defense.
A senior special assistant to the president, Temitope Ajayi, however told LEADERSHIP Sunday that the special adviser to the president on Strategy, Bayo Onanuga and the minister of Information, Mohammed Idris were in a better position to speak on the performance of the service chiefs. Both could however not be reached as at press time.
In a statement yesterday, the information minister however stated that these abductions are utterly unacceptable and go against all the fundamental values of humanity.
He said the government stands resolutely against any form of violence or coercion targeted at innocent civilians, especially the most vulnerable among us.
Expert Blames NSA, Governors
The managing director of Beacon Security and Intelligence Ltd, Dr Kabir Adamu blamed the abduction of children on the lackluster attitudes of the national security adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and the governors of the northwest states.
Dr Adamu was reacting to the abduction of over 200 school children in Kaduna and the abduction of 15 school children in Sokoto State in an interval of less than 48 hours.
He said the NSA and governors were not leading their people hence, the surge of kidnapping.
The secretary general, International Institute of Professional Security (IIPS), Dr Abdullahi Mohammed Jabi however said it was too early for anyone to contemplate a change of service chiefs.
He said, “It is not a failure on the part of service chiefs. They are also human. They are doing their best, putting themselves in harms’ way for us. We sympathise with their families and ask government to give them all that they need to achieve their task.”
He further stated that it was rather unfortunate for criminals to carry out such mass abduction and allege involvement of some stakeholders in the state.
“It’s unfortunate that those criminals are perfecting their actions and even more proactive ahead of security agencies. What I believe is that we’ll continue to intensify our strategies to ensure that we match action for action. Our officers and men will continue to do their best while government continues to support them with equipment and motivation incentives to do their work with dedication.
“I think some individuals or stakeholders have some issues to resolve with Kaduna State which has put Kaduna in the eyes of the storm of recent. But we’ll not give up,” he said.
Also, Brigadier General Sani Usman (rtd) said the situation does not warrant the bashing of service chiefs but calls for active participation of the citizens to tame the crisis.
He said, “The issue is about the inability of the government to galvanise the public to actively participate in the security arrangements of the schools.”
Bandits Kill 3 In Sokoto
Yesterday, bandits in two local government areas of Sokoto State killed three persons while abducting a woman and 15 Tsangaya students in two separate attacks.
The village head was among those killed when they attacked Turba Village in Isa local government area.
In Gada local government area, 15 students of Tsangaya School at Gidan Bakuso were reportedly kidnapped.
The whereabouts of the students were still unknown at the time of filing this report.
When contacted, the spokesman of the Sokoto State Police Command, ASP Ahmad Rufa’i, said he was not aware of the development.
He however asked for ample time to contact the Divisional Police Officer of the local government areas to get proper briefing and revert to our reporter before press time.
Similarly, there was no word from the Sokoto State government as news of the twin attacks filtered into town during the unveiling of the state Community Guards Corps, with governors of Northwest geopolitical zone in attendance.
Multiple sources confirmed the Isa local government attack that claimed the life of the village head, pleaded anonymity for the fear of reprisal.
One of the sources said, “What you are trying to confirm really happened. I cannot comment further because, I don’t want to be the next victim.”
The lawmaker representing, Isa Constituency, Honourable Habibu Modachi who confirmed the incident, linked the attack to a reprisal attack after security operatives raided suspected bandits’ hideouts two days earlier.
On his part, the proprietor of the attacked Tsangaya School, Liman Abubakar, told journalists that 15 students were unaccounted for so far, but that they were still counting.
Abubakar said the bandits invaded the town at about 1am, shot one person and abducted a woman.
“As they were leaving the town, they sighted our students rushing into their rooms and they kidnapped many of them.
“We have so far counted 15 who are missing and we are still searching for more,” adding that this was not the first time the village was attacked by bandits.
The member representing Gada-East Constituency at the state House of Assembly, Kabiru Dauda while confirming the attack, said he received news at about 21m that the village was being invaded by gunmen.
“I reached out to the local government authorities and security agencies and I am sure they are doing something about it,” he said.
ACF Condemns Onslaught On Education In Northern Nigeria
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has expressed grave sadness and exasperation at the news of the mass abduction by terrorists/bandits of about 312 students (20 of whom were reportedly orphans), from the LEA Primary School and Junior Secondary School, along with a principal at Kuriga, Chikun LGA of Kaduna State.
A statement issued by the national publicity Secretary of the forum, Prof T. A. Muhammad-Baba also said as a sad reminder about the terrorists/bandits’ unabated presence, they struck again, attacked worshippers, and killed two persons during Friday prayers at Anguwar Makera, Kwasakwasa Community in Birnin Gwari LGA of Kaduna State.
ACF averred therefore that, “together, the incidents looked planned in advance, a most discomfiting reality, given the enormous public resources being allocated to the security sector.
“As ACF had observed in July, 2023, when students of the Federal University Gusau were abducted (and sadly still in captivity), these disturbing incidents point to the very parlous state of security in the country, and specifically that around school children, a defensively vulnerable population.
The ACF condemned the incidents and called for the immediate and unconditional return of the abducted students and pupils, unharmed, to their parents/guardians;
The ACF, while Commiserating with the parents/guardians of the victims, also called on all not to be discouraged and not to give the terrorists/bandits any chance to discourage and frighten us with their evil and cowardly tools of terror.
Borno
The recent abduction of some internally displaced persons (IDPs) at Ngala, the headquarters of Gamboru-Ngala local government has not only dealt a blow to the gallantry efforts of the Nigerian military, and the Borno State government, which is making frantic effort to ensure that its citizens displaced by the decade-long Boko Haram insurgency are dignifiedly resettled back home.
The kinetic and non-kinetic approaches adopted by both the Borno State government and the Nigerian military had in the past one year contributed to the surrender of over 160,000 terrorists and family members to the authorities.
However, though the IDPs who were reportedly said to be mostly women were abducted last Sunday, till date, what has remained a puzzle to many was how the women were able to trek for over 75km against 25km an IDP is permitted by the security on movement for farming or firewood search, as is in the case of these IDPs.
