Senate Summon Security Chiefs Over Surge In Abduction Of University Students

Following the recent spate of abduction of university students across the nation, the Senate has on Thursday summoned all the security chiefs, Naija News reports.

During, Thursday’s plenary, the Senate resolved to summon all the security chiefs after Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua (Katsina Central) moved a motion  titled “Kidnapping of University students in Federal University Dutsinma, Katsina State on Wednesday, October 4th 2023 and the rising cases of kidnapping for ransom in the Northwest Geopolitical zone.”

On Wednesday, there had been reports of the abduction of five female students of the Federal University in Dutsinma (FUDMA), in the early morning hours.

The Service Chiefs include Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa; Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-General Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, and Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla.

Wednesday’s abduction was coming about two weeks after suspected bandits kidnapped 24 students of the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State, from their hostel.

Three days after the incident, sixteen of them were successfully freed during the rescue conducted by security agencies.

Recall that on August 21, 2023, eight corps members were also kidnapped by suspected terrorists on their way to camp in Zamfara State.

Reacting to all these incidents, Senator Yar’Adua told his colleagues that the surge in the kidnap incidents had thrown the university and academic communities into a panic mood.

Expressing serious concerns about the continuous abduction of students, the Senate resolved to schedule a date to summon all the security chiefs.

The red chamber said the security chiefs would discuss a way out with the legislators and chat a path to resolve the issues.

It also urged the various security agencies in Nigeria to be more proactive and ensure these kidnapped Students are all released without delay while calling on the military and other security agencies to conduct a special operation to dislodge the bandits in the Northwest zone.

It also ordered 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.