From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

As the attacks and abductions in schools continued unabated in northern Nigeria, the President Muhammadu Buhari led government has been advised to declare a state of emergency on insecurity of schools.

The Capoon of the National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity), Mr Abiola Owoaje who dropped the advice in a statement titled “Maramara Abduction: Another Assault on Education”, stated that 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.

Owoaje while recalling that the 136 students of Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School, Tegina, Niger and the 83 students, and seven members of staff of Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, Kebbi State are still being held several days after their abduction, pointed out that the failure of the security agencies to deal with the attacks is portraying the Buhari administration “as being weak, ineffectual and currently unable to inspire confidence in its citizens.”

According to him the persistent government negligence in ensuring the safety of Nigerians is a failure of governance and dereliction of constitutional responsibility.

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“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 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.

“We have previously stated that the Safe School Initiative (SSI) launched after the 2014 Chibok girls’ abduction should be revived. Also, the Safe School Fund (SSF) mooted by Governors Kayode Fayemi and Aminu Tambuwal of Ekiti and Sokoto states respectively should be moved from the drawing board to a point of action. Both laudable policies require swift implementation with all sense of responsibility to salvage education in northwest, northeast and north central Nigeria,” the statement added.

Owoaje also implored 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.

He also enjoined the schools 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.