Alhaji Ibrahim Shamaki, father of Fatima Ibrahim, one of the abducted students of Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Bando, Kaduna State, has died.
Shamaki died on Friday at his residence at Badawara, Kaduna State.
His tragic death was as a result of his deterioriating health resulting from the abduction of his daughter.
The news of his death was announced by a human rights activist and lawyer, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, on his Twitter page.
Fatima was among 39 students kidnapped by suspected armed bandits at Afaka on March 11, 2021.
Some heavily armed bandits invaded the college that Thursday evening around 9:30 pm, shooting indiscriminately before abducting the students of the institution.
The Kaduna college was reported to have some 300 male and female students, mostly aged 17 and older, at the time of the deadly assault.
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Samuel Aruwan, the Commissioner for Internal Security in the state confirmed that 39 students were missing following the attack.
“Further checks in the wake of the attack by armed bandits … indicate that 39 students are currently unaccounted for, including 23 females and 16 males,” Aruwan said in a statement.
Aruwan said the state government “is maintaining close communication with the management of the college as efforts are sustained by security agencies toward the tracking of the missing students.”
Two weeks after the attack, the Nigerian government and Kaduna State have failed to rescue the students from the den of their abductors. Fatima, being one of the victims was the main hope of her father as tweeted by Odinkalu.
The former Chairman of Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission tweeted, “Earlier today, I am saddened to report, Alhaji Ibrahim Shamaki died. He is the father of Fatima Ibrahim, 1 of the abducted #Afaka39. Alhaji Shamaki lived in Badarawa, Kaduna. His health had worsened dramatically since Fatima, his primary hope, was kidnapped.”
Earlier today, I am saddened to report, Alhaji Ibrahim Shamaki died. He is the father of Fatima Ibrahim, 1 of the abducted #Afaka39. Alhaji Shamaki lived in Badarawa, Kaduna. His health had worsened dramatically since Fatima, his primary hope, was kidnapped.#BringBackAfaka39 pic.twitter.com/emYL2QUBdQ
— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) March 26, 2021
He went further to say, “The conduct of government in this case of the #Afaka39 could lead many who look at these issues to conclude – rightly or wrongly – that reason the government doesn’t seem to make a priority to #BringBackAfaka39 is because they don’t sound like they belong to a favoured demographic. Sadly….”
While condemning the apathetic attitudes of the authorities, he queried how the military structures in that geographical environment the college located could not have averted the attack.
“This story shd begin with a geography lesson: the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation in Mando is located in the middle of military installations, including HQ of 1 Div of @HQNigerianArmy; @HQ_NDA; Command & Staff College, Jaji & @NigeriaAirforcebase.
“This geography lesson is important so that folks get a grasp of how deep or serious this is: the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization is located basically in a military garrison. How does a #MassAbduction take place in such a location without the military….?
“The morning after the abductions, @contactkdsg put out a statement claiming making some factual claims about what happened around the abductions. They claimed the military had rescued most of the abductees too. All that was false. #BringBackTheAfaka39.”
