From Priscilla Ediare, Ado Ekiti
The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has met with controversial Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi, to seek commitment on how to end school abduction in the country.
The delegation expressed worries over the persistent abduction of students in Kaduna, Niger, Katsina, Zamfara and other northern states in recent times, describing the menace as dangerous to the country’s education sector.
This was contained in a statement signed by NANS National President Sunday Asefon, and made available to reporters in Ado Ekiti on Monday.
Asefon said he decided to lead a delegation to the respected Islamic scholar on the need to intensify efforts on and stop school kidnapping through dialogue and to also rescue those still being held hostage by bandits.
The NANS leader added that the dialogue became expedient because, according to him, government efforts have failed to yield the expected results in the protection of lives and property.
‘I led the leadership of NANS to meet with Sheik Ahmed Gumi in Kaduna yesterday (Sunday),’ he stated.
‘Our discussion centred on actions and efforts to ensure safety and security of Nigerian Students on all campuses and the release of innocent students in the captivity of their abductors.
‘We extracted commitment on continuous dialogue for the release of students in captivity and all-around efforts to ensure schools become safer so that our students can be free from the fear and trauma of kidnapping.
‘We must leave no stone unturned until our schools are free again. We will continue to engage and dialogue with stakeholders to ensure school safety.’
Asefon said the cleric promised unflinching loyalty to the nation and resoluteness to ensure that cases of banditry, kidnapping and killings in the country are tamed using the instrument of dialogue.