Foundation calls for action against insecurity in Nigeria

The Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation has called for concerted action against kidnapping and banditry in the country.

The foundation made the call in a statement issued by its Managing Director, Alhaji Abubakar Umar, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Kaduna.

It called for changes in strategies, policies and actionable intelligence, such that adequate concentration, resources and manpower are channeled into the war against insecurity.

The foundation condemned recent wave of abduction of school children in Northern Nigeria, and noted that kidnapping has become the most intractable violent crime in the region.

“Today scores of school children have been kidnapped in various parts of the country.

“Several hundreds of students have been abducted from schools in Northern Nigeria, highlighting a worrying development in the country’s kidnap for ransom crises,” he said.

According to the foundation, crimes targeting schools have become endemic, heightening fear for the welfare of students, and further low level of school enrolment in the region.

“Kidnapping has led to the loss of uncountable lives and crippling of economic activities in the affected parts of the country, with accompanying effects on our overall GDP.

“To this end, we are calling on the government and citizens at all levels to treat kidnappings and banditry as issues of serious national security concern. No effort or energy is too much to be deployed towards combating the menace.’’

The foundation further called on government to seriously consider the role of traditional institutions in the maintenance of law and order by going back to the pre 1976 era.

“We should not shy away from seeking collaborations and external assistance, as is the global practice.

“Joint deployments with neighbouring countries like Niger, Chad and Cameroun has become necessary in view of the situation assuming international dimensions.”

The foundation noted that the problem of insecurity has also brought to fore, the need for the authorities to consider the options of massively recruiting into the police and the military, to address personnel shortfalls.