From: Femi Oyelola in Kaduna
The West African Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately order the reopening of schools across the country.
The organization argued that prolonged school closures convey “a dangerous image of weakness” in the face of banditry and violent crimes.
WAANSA made this appeal in a letter addressed to the President following its participation in the annual coordinating meeting of National Commissions on Small Arms for ECOWAS member states in Ghana. The group warned that remaining silent amid escalating insecurity only emboldens criminals.
They emphasized that closing schools for fear of attacks implies that “criminals are winning the war,” asserting that young Nigerians should not be deprived of quality education and future opportunities due to the actions of violent groups.
Additionally, WAANSA urged the Federal Government to initiate plans to fence Nigeria’s international borders. They highlighted intelligence suggesting that many criminal actors are exploiting the ECOWAS free movement protocol to infiltrate the country and engage in kidnappings, banditry, and other organized crimes.
