The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently declare a state of emergency over the prevalent insecurity in the country.
The Senate who in strong terms condemned the kidnap of students and teachers of Government Science Secondary School, Kagara, Niger State, by unidentified gunmen, further called on the President to “consider and implement the recommendations of the Senate ad-Hoc Committee on Nigeria’s Security Challenges dated March, 17, 2020, and Senate Resolutions therefrom, as a holistic response to the mounting security challenges across the country.”
The red chamber also ordered for a massive and combined operation to identify and destroy the camps and hideouts of these criminals wherever they may be situated.
The call by the Senate followed a point of order by Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East) on the abduction which happened in the early hours of Wednesday.
Senator Musa said the unidentified gunmen were dressed in military uniforms and that the actual number of students abducted was not known but the school had over 1,000 students.
Reacting to the motion moved by his colleague, Senator Bima also representing Niger south was furious about the worsening insecurity and said the government is incompetent in handling the Security situation of the country.
He said, “We need to amend the constitution so that governors should be chief security officers of their states since the government at the centre had failed to protect the lives and properties of Nigerians.
“The Federal Government is busy giving palliative instead of creating employment, thus aggravating insecurity.”
Another Senator also from Niger State, Senator Sabi Abdullahi said the kidnappers and bandits were emboldened by the successes being recorded in the state in recent time as about 100 people had so far been kidnapped in the state.
Armed men stormed and attacked Government Science College Kagara in Rafi Local government area of Niger State at around 2.00am on Wednesday.
It was reported that at least one student was feared dead and several other students abducted, as some teachers and their family members residing within the college staff quarters were also said to have been abducted by the gunmen.
Yet to ascertained the exact number of staff and students abducted by the gunmen, President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the cowardly attack on innocent school children and has directed the Armed Forces and Police to ensure immediate and safe return of all those abducted from Government Science College, Kagara, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu who announced this in a statement said the President has also dispatched to Minna, Niger State a team of security chiefs to coordinate the rescue operation and meet with state officials, community leaders, as well as parents and staff of the College.
Shehu also stated the President has assured of the support of his administration to the Armed Forces in their brave struggle against terrorism and banditry and urged them to do all that can be done to bring an end to this saga, and avoid such cowardly attacks on schools in the future.
