· Demands audit of $30m Safe School Initiative
Gboyega Akinsanmi
No fewer than 939 students have been kidnapped from different secondary schools and tertiary institutions across the federation between December 2020 and May 2021, a new survey that tracks kidnapping incidents in schools has revealed.
With the rising incidents of students’ abduction, Global Rights, a Washington-based human rights organisation, asked the federal government to audit the Safe School Initiative, a $30 million project initiated under the Goodluck Jonathan administration to protect schools nationwide.
The organisation yesterday released the report of its study to THISDAY, graphically showing the trajectory of mass abduction that occurred in secondary schools and tertiary institutions from December 2020 and May 2021.
May 20, 2014: The Borno State government set up a N150 million special fund for the rehabilitation of the 57 Chibok girls who had escaped.
October 16, 2014: The former Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, an air vice-marshal, said the federal government had reached a ceasefire deal with leaders of Boko Haram and that the 216 girls in their captivity would soon be released. But Boko Haram leaders quickly denied the claim.
November 2, 2014: Boko Haram leader, Mr Shekau, released a video in which he declares that all the 216 girls in his custody had been converted to Islam and married off. He also denied ever negotiating with the federal government concerning the girls.
We negotiated Kankara schoolboys’ release through ex-bandits – Matawalle
Friday Olokor, Abuja
Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State on Tuesday gave a vivid account of the role he played in the negotiation for the freedom of 344 students of the Government Boys Science Secondary School in Kankara, Katsina State.
He also reacted to claims made by the acting National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Yekini Nabena, that he was sponsoring banditry in the North West.
The governor said he would not take legal action against Nabena for alleged libelous comments against him and his government following the intervention of highly respected organisations and individuals.
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My heart went out to the families of the boys who were kidnapped from Government Boys Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State, when they were missing. During the time that their sons were in captivity, I cannot imagine how the Parents would have felt. I think that I can safely say without equivocation, that, apart from death, kidnapping/abduction of a child is one of the worst things that can happen to a family – not knowing the whereabouts or fate of your child who is in the hands of the most violent, vicious types of criminals (I call them criminals, because their actions have nothing to do with the teachings of Islam or any religion of the Book). I am sure you will all agree with me that, this has gone way beyond pontification, rhetorics, and debate on whether the President attends the National Assembly (NASS) to address the members on insecurity, or whether he was in Katsina when this ugly incident occurred and he didn’t visit the Parents of the abductees etc. It is