The Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari has been called on to order the arrest of security personnel, traditional and Community leaders within the Kankara area and routes of which the Government Science Secondary School children were kidnapped.
The Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum, PGF, Mr. Salihu Lukman made the call in a press statement released in Abuja.
It would be recalled that on Friday, December 11, over 500 school children were kidnapped from Government Science Secondary School (GSSS), Kankara, Katsina State, North West Nigeria.
The PGF DG said it was impossible for that large number of people to be abducted and moved without security personnel and community leaders being aware of it.
He called for corporal punishment of the security staff and leaders.
“Certainly, without the collaboration of security personnel, traditional rulers, community leaders and citizens, how can over 500 school children be taken without clear information of their whereabouts for more than 72 hours.
“Elementary knowledge of the area in question will convince any discerning mind that it is either the kidnap of GSSS Kankara students was done by combined operations of security personnel, traditional rulers and community leaders in the area or the security personnel, traditional rulers or community leaders are collaborators in the exercise.
“We need to challenge our security agencies to be accountable.
Every police, security personnel, traditional and community leader, located within Kankara or in routes where the GSSS Kankara school children would have passed should be arrested and tried. Similarly, everywhere such incidences take place, police, security, traditional and community leaders should be the first line suspect. They should be made to prove their innocence by producing the culprits, failing which, they should be convicted. Depending on the extent of the problem, there is no reason why corporal punishment covering life and death sentences should not be given,” he said.
He called on law makers to expedite the passing of laws that would help in battling the recurring crime of kidnap and murder around Nigeria.
“We are dealing with a problem that is worse than armed robbery. Our Governors and our legislators in state assemblies should really act expeditiously on this matter. But to be able to succeed, the capacity of states to enforce laws must be strengthened. Without any hesitation, anybody debating whether or not to have state police is simply part of the problem.
“As part of the strategy of strengthening law enforcement, questions of responding to challenges of criminal justice system in our states must be treated with the urgency required. As our states are taking all of these urgent steps, we must as a party, APC, take the recommendations contained in the Mallam Nasir El-Rufai Committee on True Federalism very seriously.
“More than any moment in the life of our APC administration at federal level, this is the time when President Muhammadu Buhari is dearly required to demonstrate his no nonsense toga, which is what earned him the love of ordinary Nigerians,” he said.
Mr. Lukman pointed out the need for the strengthening of capacity of police and other law enforcement agencies to battle crimes.
