Mass kidnapping: Ribadu assures schools security will get special attention

Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, said that President Bola Tinubu has promised to make schools and students safe under his leadership.

Ribadu disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja at an event organised by the Nigeria Police Force.

He said that all the security agencies in the country had promised to deal with all of the security problems, especially kidnappings that happen in schools.

Ribadu said, “Undoubtedly, education has always been the cornerstone of progress in any society, and as we strive to build a prosperous country for the future of our children and the generation yet unborn, it is critical that we prioritise the safety and security of our educational institutions at all levels.

“The administration of President Bola Tinubu pledged to work with both state and local government authorities to reform and retool the nation’s educational system by giving special attention to the security of our schools, welfare and training of teachers and students.”

The NSA was represented by Major General A.M. Dikko (RTD) at the event. He talked about how bandits and armed people coming to schools have made fewer kids want to go to school, especially in the north.

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He told all the security groups in the country that they needed to work together to get information to arrest this problem. The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who was leading the event, said the Tinubu administration is really serious about protecting students and giving them safe places to learn.

Other important personalities at the event include the Chief of Defence Staff, Maj. Gen. C. G. Musa, represented by Air Vice Marshal A.V. Ndache; the Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja; the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, represented by Commodore S.M. Ahmed; and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Hassan Abubakar, represented by Brig. Gen. G.O. Esho.

During the administration of former president Muhammadu Buhari, there was a high case of student abduction by bandits.

In 2021, bandits took more than 300 schoolgirls in Jangebe, Zamfara State. In that same year, they kidnapped many students and workers from Government Science College in Kagara, Niger State.

Even in 2020, bandits took more than 300 schoolboys from Government Science Secondary School in Kankara, Katsina State. Besides these places, terrorists linked to the Boko Haram islamist group also kidnapped hundreds of secondary school girls from Chibok in Borno State and Dapchi in Yobe State before.