Buhari Moves To Ensure Swift Release Of Kidnapped Students

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) on Monday directed the military, police, and intelligence agencies to ensure the safe and early release of all kidnapped victims.

Buhari, who gave the directive in a statement by his spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, expressed serious concern over attacks on Kaduna and Niger States, largely targeted at students.

While noting the ongoing deployment of additional security personnel to all troubled areas, the president urged security outfits to “act swiftly” to rescue all school boys and girls in the affected states and to ensure their safe return.

The President said the disturbing incidents of students kidnapping, mostly in Northern states, were already threatening efforts in boosting school enrolments in states that were adjudged educationally backward.

He called on state governments to ensure compliance with the UN-supported Safe Schools Programme, which the administration had adopted.

The president described kidnappings as cowardly and despicable, as well as an assault on affected families and the nation.

His reaction comes after the most recent kidnapping of school children in Kaduna State where some students of Bethel Baptist School Kaduna were abducted by gunmen on Sunday.

However, a few hours after the abduction of the Baptist students, security personnel foiled an attack by gunmen on another school, Faith Academy, located at Mararaban Rido, Chikun Local Government Area of the state.

Reports revealed that the gunmen forcefully gained entrance into the school by breaking part of the perimeter fence of the college before military personnel foiled the attack.