The Northern Elders Forum, NEF, has lamented the frequent abduction of schoolchildren in Northern Nigeria, admitting that it now poses a serious threat to education in the region.
This statement follows the abduction of no fewer than 287 pupils and teachers of the Government Secondary School and LEA Primary School, Kuriga 1, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State by bandits.
The forum, in a statement by its Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, released in Kaduna, condemned the heinous act and called for stakeholders to find urgent solutions.
“The abduction of 200 students in Kuriga village is particularly distressing, considering that it is the same community where a school principal was killed and his wife kidnapped just over a month ago. Such brazen acts of violence demonstrate the brazen disregard for human life and the rule of law by the perpetrators of these crimes”, NEF said.
“This condemnation should serve as a clarion call for the government and security agencies to take proactive measures to protect schools, communities, and vulnerable populations in the North.
“It is imperative that all necessary resources and strategies are deployed to ensure the safe return of the abducted students and teachers and to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future.
