Following several abductions of university students in states within the Northwestern region of the country, the Senate made the decision on Thursday to call upon all the security chiefs in order to address and alleviate these incidents.
Senator representing Katsina Central, Abdulaziz Yar’Adua raised the unsavoury development on the floor of the Senate while he specifically drew the attention of his colleagues to the kidnapping of five female students of the Federal University in Dutsinma (FUDMA), Katsina in the early hours of Wednesday.
Checks revealed that before the Katsina attack, bandits had attacked three hostels of the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State and abducted 24 students. 16 of them were successfully freed three days following the rescue operation by security agencies.
Last August, eight graduates were also kidnapped by suspected terrorists on their way to camp in Zamfara State for their National Service assignment.
Senator Yar’Adua said these kidnap incidents have thrown the university and academic communities into a panic mood.
The lawmaker expressed concern that the frequency of kidnapping for ransom has become almost a daily and weekly occurrence in major towns and communities in the North West geopolitical zone.
The Senate resolved to fix a date to invite the security chiefs to address the lawmakers on the abduction of students and efforts to curb the menace.
It also urged the various security agencies in Nigeria to be more proactive and ensure these kidnapped Students are all released without delay.
The Red Chamber called on the military and other security agencies to conduct a special operation to dislodge the bandits in the Northwest zone.
It directed the Nigeria Police to ensure that the school protection squad demonstrates a clear commitment to protecting school children and providing a safe environment where students and teachers can engage in teaching and learning without the fear of being attacked or kidnapped.
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