Kagara Abduction: Negotiation with bandits unacceptable – CAN
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has labeled the negotiation between government and the abductors of the Kagara students and their teachers unacceptable.
It said the development was capable of laying the foundation for anarchy in the country.
The association in a statement in Abuja said it was “unhappy with the menace of banditry in the Northern part of the country, especially the culture of abducting innocent students in public schools.”
It said only God knows which school is the next target of bandits after Government Secondary School, Kankara in Katsina State and Government Science School, Kagara, Niger State.
It added: “Our security agencies are pretending as if these criminals are invincible but the intervention of Sheik Gumi in negotiating with them in the forest has put a question mark on the roles of the security agencies in the security challenges.
“We have said it and we are still saying it again that the security architecture of our country has collapsed and a total overhauling is imperative before it will be too late.
“This was what CAN foresaw long before now when we were calling on the President to sack the service chiefs and by extension overhaul the security architecture.
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“As much as the government does not want us to talk about religion, that’s okay. But when the heads of security agencies are drawn from the same faith in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious state like ours, those who are left out cannot but cry out.
“And again, when those who are threatening the security of the country and our security chiefs share same faith, culture and traditions, that makes it a messy situation.
“The carrots and stick approach is not working. This is a sad commentary.
“As observed by Senator Shehu Sani, these bandits move about in their 20’s and 50’s. They are abducting students in their hundreds with impunity and disappear into the forest as if our security agencies are on holiday.
“This is unprecedented, unjustifiable, unfortunate and unacceptable. It is totally reprehensible. We cannot but agree with a serving Senator from Niger State who said, ‘This government is incompetent in handling the security.’
“It is unfortunate that we have a government that is not ready to take counsel from the people.”
The association also took on Governor Bala Muhammed of Bauchi State over his recent statement that herders are justified to carry AK 47 rifles because they need to protect themselves and their cattle from rustlers.
It said: “A governor who recently justified the carrying of guns by herdsmen has forgotten that his advocacy is an open invitation to anarchy simply because if the herdsmen should carry guns, their victims too have same equal rights.
“History will not forget what the security architecture has become under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari. This is why he must rise up to live up to the expectations of the people who voted for him because of his military background.”
