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*Tinubu to security agencies: Ensure immediate rescue of kidnapped victims in
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Findings have shown that activities of militia groups working as vigilantes for Katsina and Zamfara State governments have led to renewed hostilities in the two states which have now spilled into neighbouring States in the north-western region.
Some security sources and locals who disclosed this to THISDAY, yesterday, pointed out that the raging banditry conflict in the region has claimed hundreds of lives and led to the displacement of thousands of people from their communities in Zamfara, Katsina,
This emerged just as the
Also, the United Nation's Special Envoy for
However, disturbed by the development, President
Not less than 287 students and a principal,
Officials of the school and community leaders had told Governor
However, Katsina State was the first to launch 1,466-strong
Thereafter, in February Zamfara followed suit by inaugurating 2,645-member Zamfara State Community Protection Guards at an event attended by a former National Security Adviser (NSA), General
Zamfara and Katsina are among worst hit states by the banditry conflict prevalent mostly in the North West and North Central parts of the country.
Despite warnings of the danger by intelligence and security agencies, the two states decided to establish paramilitary vigilante groups to confront the sophisticated bandits.
But rather than for the killings to abet the activities of the community-based security outfits has worsened security situation in the two states, with sudden upsurge in killings, a security expert told THISDAY.
Reports from the two states indicated the opening up of a new spate of killings which has further deepened the ethnic dimension of the conflict.
A researcher on the conflict in the North West, Dr.
He explained: "First, they made a big mistake from the beginning. The recruitment into the vigilante groups was not inclusive. With almost exclusive Hausa membership it is easy for the Fulani to feel it's a force formed against them, and also for those involved to now conspire and target those they consider as the enemy.
"Secondly, the training was not extensive and their weaponry is not in the same category with what the bandits possess. At the end, the vigilantes now target soft targets that look like the people they are fighting with while the bandits renew their hostilities on account of this targeting of their kins and kiths," he said.
According to him, many bandits who had hitherto downed their arms due to non-kinetic steps taken by government and admonishing of their leaders have now picked up their arms in response to the "indiscriminate attacks on Fulani soft targets and their settlements."
He said many of the vigilantes were also being killed, "because of their inexperience, exuberance and low-grade arms."
"The two governors wanted to do politics with the security issue but we warned them because we know the dangers. We were here when
According to him, the activities of the vigilantes has eroded the gains made in taming the conflict.
"Honestly I blame our ministers and the
Another security source also attributed the security breaches, including recent kidnapping of students in
"There are several cases of extra-judicial killings, arson and confiscation of property, mostly unreported in the villages of Zamfara and Katsina states."
In February, former Zamfara Central senator,
Also last week, a prominent cleric and chief Imam of Mada town,
In Katsina, a former local government chairman, was killed in similar fashion by members of the
"Government at the centre must be courageous to stand up against this. Otherwise it is going to cost us a lot. It will be an endless vicious circle," Rufa'i said.
Meanwhile,
Munduate said schools were supposed to be sanctuaries of learning and growth, not places of fear and violence.
The statement read: "I am deeply saddened and concerned by the reports of yet another abduction of students in Kaduna State. The alarming frequency of such incidents across the country signals a crisis that requires immediate and determined action from all levels of government and society. Schools are supposed to be sanctuaries of learning and growth, not sites of fear and violence.
"This latest abduction, as any previously, is highly condemnable and part of a worrying trend of attacks on educational institutions in
"
"It is imperative that the safety and security of students and educators are guaranteed, allowing schools to fulfill their role as safe havens for learning and development."
It added: "Our hearts go out to the families of the abducted students and staff, and we stand with them in this harrowing time. The right to education is fundamental and must be protected against any form of violence or intimidation. The children of
"
"Every child deserves to grow up in an environment of peace, away from the looming shadows of threats and insecurity. Unfortunately, we are currently facing a significant deterioration in community safety, with children disproportionately suffering the consequences of this decline in security."
According to Brown, the international community must urgently do all it could to support the release of the students, adding that the Nigerian government should have immediate surveillance support from international partners to locate the kidnapped pupils.,
"As
"And because these abductions continue to recur because of terrorism, I want to set out what can be done to make sure schools are safer places to attend and our proposals are modelled on safe schooling initiatives throughout the world I have been involved in, not least in
"Then, I visited
"Now I believe that at every level - federal, state, and local - Safe Schools measures must be reintroduced, reinvigorated and supercharged from today, with technical support and funding available internationally and nationally to ensure schools have significant security and safety upgrades.
"For parents who are now wondering whether their daughter or son will be the victim of violence or kidnapping, and whether when they leave for school that day, whether they will see their children again, we must provide reassurance. We must end the unfair choice parents face: send a child to school, at risk of being abducted, or keep a child out of school, at risk of them forgoing a better future."
Furthermore, he stressed the need for the four broader initiatives needed to be considered as a matter of urgency, that add up to a comprehensive blueprint for safe schools.
"First, we need enhanced intelligence and security information-sharing through the engagement of the Governors and intergovernmental forums. Second, we need detailed state-by-state school safety plans which are made public, with detailed actions both to build walls and fencing and to introduce state- of- the art telecommunications connections and security alarms that can be easily actioned.
"Third, we need to invest in community outreach and engagement programs, working with traditional and religious leaders to explain why if schools are protected and safer children should continue to attend. And fourth, we need to empower local people - school-based management committees - to make their own decisions to prioritize pupil and teacher safety to best meet local circumstances and needs.
"My offer is to do everything I can to mobilise international financial and other support and worldwide expertise to help deliver the safe school programmes
"And my message to children is: if you come to school, we will make it more secure. And my promise
"The international community must urgently do all it can to support the girls release The Nigerian government should have immediate surveillance support from international partners to locate the kidnapped girls, and as
Tinubu to Security Agencies: Ensure Immediate Rescue of Kidnapped Victims in
Also,
According to Tinubu: "I have received briefing from security chiefs on the two incidents, and I am confident that the victims will be rescued. Nothing else is acceptable to me and the waiting family members of these abducted citizens. Justice will be decisively administered."
The President sympathised with the families of the victims, assuring them that they would soon be reunited with their loved ones.
In the same vein, addressing the media, yesterday, Minister of Education, Prof.
Mamman, said the Ministry was in touch with the Kaduna State Government, stressing that the federal government would ensure safety of schools across the country under the Safe School Initiative.
He said: "It's a very sad day for the country. And we appeal to the security agencies to do everything possible including the government of Kaduna State to rescue and bring back these young ones and their teachers unarmed.
"We will be working with the security agencies to ensure that we bring to end this type of thing under the
"We sincerely hope these young ones are brought back even before the
"We are terribly concerned about this development. And make appropriate appeal to those whose responsibilities is to bring back our children to work as quickly as possible so that these children are returned back to their homes and back to school safely."
Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu Canvasses Capital Punishment for Kidnappers
In a related development, the wife of the President, Senator
To this end, the First Lady called on all the 36 state governors and the state Houses of Assembly to come up with legislation that will prescribe capital punishment for kidnappers.
She also described as heart-rendering, the act of kidnapping innocent children whom she described as the future of the nation.
She described the kidnappers as cowards for majorly taking hold of women and children, saying they are inhuman and should be treated as such.
Her words: "They are cowards. Our hearts bleed. I call on the state governments that once we take hold of them, they deserve capital punishments. Why can't they take men of their size, why are they touching women and children?
"What they are doing is that they are trying to kill our future. We all know that when parents are old, we rely on our children, we see them as our investments that have not gone to waste, especially when they are successful.
"Why will you now take them from their schools? Right now, I think enough is enough. As a former lawmaker, I believe that any one of them captured deserves capital punishment.
"I believe most mothers will support me on this because we carry our children for nine months, and we cannot watch what we love to wither away."
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