Why Kidnappers Are Targeting Schools In Northern Nigeria – Ahmed

A leadership analyst, Dr Ahmed Adamu, has shared his view about the frequent attacks on schools and abduction of students in the North.

Adamu during an interview with DailyTrust, said the desperation of bandits to engage with the government has led to the recent criminal activities.

The Nile University lecturer said, “The more government is involved, the more reward they think they will get and this goes to show the desperation among these armed gangs.”

“They have seen what happened in the past when the Chibok girls were abducted and it gained international attention. If they want that kind of attention, they know they have to target the schools, by abducting students, they will be dealing with the government directly.”

He added that the activities of bandits has given them the opportunity to deal government rather than kidnap individuals that will not pay ransom.

Adamu said, “most times, individuals that have been kidnapped pay their ransom and these criminals want popularity, they want attention.”

He explained that it is easy for the criminals to invade schools because of their porous state saying it affords them the opportunity to abduct many people at once which they will later use as shield against any military attack. “That is why they threaten that if anyone tries to attack them they will kill the captives. So, where there are more hostages, the tendency of them being attacked is very low because the government will not want to have more casualties.”

He added that attacks on schools have become a national emergency with huge effect on education in the north and some parents might not wand to send their children to school while many schools would have to close down for fear of attacks.

“This will create a huge gap between the children of the poor and the children of the rich and it will create more segregation, more inequality and it is going to create more poverty. It has reduced the appetite for education in northern Nigeria and if education is affected, then growth will also be affected and this will increase poverty, backwardness and insecurity because people that are not educated will become potential recruit for criminals,” he said.

Recall that the Kaduna State Government on Monday confirmed that bandits abducted three teachers at the Rema Primary School, Magajin Gari Ward 2, Brinin Gwari Local Government Area of the state on Monday.

The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs in the state, Samuel Aruwan, while speaking during press conference said no pupil was abducted.

He noted that the bandits who invaded the school around 9 am, also rustled cattle after invading the school.