Kankara attack: We’re at the mercy of terrorists, Northern elders cry to Buhari

From Okwe Obi, Abuja

Northern Elders under the umbrella of
Coalition of Northern Elders for Peace and Development, have described the adoption of over 300 students from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, in Katsina State as callous and reprehensible; lamenting that the region is now at the mercy of terrorists.

The group’s National Coordinator, Engr Zana Goni and National Women Leader, Hajiya Mario Bichi, in a statement, Monday, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari, to sack the federal service chiefs because of their inability to address the rising cases of insecurity.

While extending their sympathies to the families of the victims, Goni called on government to fish out the killers and use them as experimental guinea pigs.

“The latest attack on Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, in Katsina State, where over 333 children are reportedly missing has further confirmed our position that our region is now at the mercy of terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements.

“And as a result of this, we strongly believe that the time has come for our president to bring in fresh hope and clear directions on how best the country will strategize to overcome the present insecurity situation in the country in general.

“At the boiling point we have found ourselves in today, we strongly believe that it will not be out of place to seek assistance in dealing with these threats from outside.

“We would say in the strongest possible terms that there can be no justification for the deliberate targeting of innocent school children,”Goni said.

He added: “Our president was elected by Nigerians and the same Nigerians have spoken through their representatives in the National Assembly.

“Our president should listen to them by dropping the service chiefs, who have since reached retirement age in the military and appoint new ones with fresh ideas to do the job for which we elected him to do.”