Reps bemoan worsening insecurity condition, kidnapping in schools

***demands police, security presence in learning institutions

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives on Wednesday decried the worsen situations of kidnappings and wanton destruction of lives and properties across the schools in the country since 2014 to date.
The House in its revolution mandated the House Committees on Army, Airforce, Navy, Police Affairs and Defence to interface with all security Chiefs to identify how best to secure schools and proffer immediate lasting solutions to the security challenges in the country.
The House also mandated schools to engage the services of Private Security outfits to complement the efforts of the security agencies in securing the schools.
The resolutions were sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance moved by Hon. Billy Osawaru during plenary in Abuja.
According to Osawaru, students are no longer safe even in their schools especially in places like Borno, Nasarawa, Niger, Zamfara, Katsina and Kaduna States.
He explained that most recently, on Thursday, 7th of March 2024, about 287 schoolchildren were kidnapped from a government-owned school in Kaduna State’s Kuriga town.
He said before then, on Friday, 22nd of September 2023, about 24 students of the Federal University of Gusau in Zamfara State were kidnapped by bandits.
The lawmaker also noted that in Nigeria, police men are not guarding most of schools despite the level of attacks frequently experienced by the schools and the ones in existence are not sufficient in manpower and equipment, hence the level losses incurred any time such attacks occurred.