On Friday, Nigerians woke up to the news of another abduction of students by gunmen — the third major attack on schools in 2021.
Daily Trust had reported how gunmen stormed the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation in Mando area of Kaduna State and whisked away a yet-to-be-revealed number of students.
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This happened two weeks after the government led by President Muhammadu Buhari promised that the country will not witness a similar incident after the abduction at Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara State.
Gunmen had in February stormed the school located in Talata-Mafara local government area of Zamfara and abducted over 200 students.
This was weeks after students and staff of Government Science Secondary School, Kagara, Niger State, were also abducted before they were released later.
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, who had led a presidential delegation to Zamfara, had said the Jangebe experience would mark the end of attacks on schools and abduction of students in Nigeria.
“This abduction of the female students in Jangebe will be the last as the Federal Government has reorganised the security architecture of the country to nib all the atrocities of these criminals.”
“The president is saddened by the abduction of the students from Jangebe and reassures you that the government has all the resources and wherewithal to contain these criminals,” he had said
Although the president has repeatedly said bandits are not more powerful than his government, it is sad to see how armed men are instilling fear in people’s minds across the country and discouraging students from continuing with their education.
Only on Thursday did the Niger State Government shut all public schools over insecurity. Kaduna is likely to take the same step going by what previous governments which experienced mass abductions did. It’s time for the Buhari administration to match it’s words with action.
