President Muhammadu Buhari has boasted that his administration has zero tolerance for kidnapping, especially when it concerns school children.
Nigeria has in the last six years witnessed daily attacks by Boko Haram, bandits, ritualists and kidnappers that have claimed the lives of many.
On December 11, 2020, in the President’s home state of Katsina, some bandits kidnapped 344 students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, while he was on a visit to the state. They were released about a week later.
Also on December 19, 84 Islamiyya students of Hizburrahim Islamiyya in Mahuta village, in the Dandume Local Government Area of the state were abducted but rescued shortly after.
Before then, on February 19, 2018, 110 schoolgirls aged 11–19 years old were kidnapped by the Boko Haram terrorists from the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State. One of the kidnapped girls, Leah Sharibu, has yet to be released after she refused to renounce her Christian faith.
Speaking while declaring the Alumni Association of the National Defence College (AANDEC), summit open in Abuja on Tuesday, Buhari said he had directed the armed forces across the entire country to deal with security breaches, including terrorism aimed at disrupting the educational system.
He said, “We have zero tolerance for kidnapping, especially of school children and we shall deal with such outrages decisively. The disruption of our educational system and economic activities will not be tolerated.”
The President also explained that the cooperation of citizens would play invaluable roles in bringing law and order to various parts of the country.
On the issue of kidnapping which has assumed an alarming dimension, Buhari said he will not relent in efforts to tackle it once and for all.
“I have directed that all cases relating to security breaches, economic sabotage and wanton destruction of lives and property across the entire nation be immediately addressed.
“Let me add here that the Armed Forces have been deployed in virtually all states of the Federation to combat any security challenges,’’ he said.
