The National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to declare state of emergency on the insecurity of schools to curb incessant attacks on schools and abduction of schoolchildren. The NAS Capoon , Mr Abiola Owoaje in a statement titled “Maramara Abduction: Another Assault on Education” stated that the inability of the security agencies to effectively halt attacks on schools “is portraying his administration as being weak, ineffectual and currently unable to inspire confidence in its citizens.”
Owoaje while expressing sadness that millions of naira is being paid as ransom coupled with the trauma the families are subjected to, over the failure of the security agencies to curb incessant kidnappings of schoolchildren.
The statement read in part: “Once again, with this Maramara abduction, the National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) is saddened by the fact that the authorities were yet again caught napping as abductors successfully kidnapped another group of schoolchildren.
“It is baffling that in all these incidents of abductions and in some instances, rescue and release of victims, no suspect have been apprehended by security operatives. It is increasingly scandalous and incongruous that harmless protesters exercising their fundamental human rights are vigorously suppressed by the security agencies, who disappointingly keep displaying apathy towards clamping down on marauding bandits. We keep trying to understand how this is so. With every new kidnapping, it is becoming glaringly difficult to explain other than acquiescent negligence.
“President Muhammadu Buhari, has to see that the failure of the security agencies to effectively deal with these attacks on schools is portraying his administration as being weak, ineffectual and currently unable to inspire confidence in its citizens.
“Our President must understand that the persistent government negligence in ensuring the safety of Nigerians is a failure of governance and dereliction of constitutional responsibility. This significantly erodes the legitimacy of the government itself with the failure of protecting its people.
“It is of utmost urgency for the President to correct this impression and declare a state of emergency on the insecurity of all schools especially in the northeast, northwest and north-central regions of Nigeria. This would ensure coordinated and collaborative efforts to end the menace of abduction of schoolchildren. A state of emergency on security of schools would bridge the communication gap between states and the Federal Government on directives to heads of security agencies to take swift actions against criminal elements. With the recent abduction of 121 students of Bethel Baptist School, Maramara in Kaduna State, it is baffling that no single suspect has been apprehended by security operatives from all incidents of abductions.”
NAS recommended for the revival of the Safe School Initiative (SSI) launched after the 2014 Chibok girls as well as the Safe School Fund (SSF) mooted by Governors Kayode Fayemi and Aminu Tambuwal of Ekiti and Sokoto states respectively.
The group added that both laudable policies require swift implementation with all sense of responsibility to salvage education in northwest, northeast and north-central Nigeria.
It also urges the security operatives to focus on intelligence gathering and enlist the support of the traditional institutions, community leaders’ parents and teachers to forestall future attacks, adding that investment in smart technology and surveillance is critical.
NAS also enjoined the school’s authorities to engage security agencies in the training of its internal security team, teachers and students in developing its risk assessment to foil future kidnap attempts.
