School abduction: FG talks tough, orders watertight security at borders

The Federal Government has expressed grave concern about the rising cases of banditry, especially the kidnapping of students for ransom and ordered security agencies to synergise on ending the menace bedeviling the country.

The government particularly ordered the Nigeria Immigration Service to rise up to the occasion of stopping the influx of foreign mercenaries and criminals from coming into the country wreak havoc on the nation.

Minister of Interior, Ọgbẹni Rauf Aregbesola gave the directive on Thursday in Abuja, stressing that the schools and indeed the country must be made safe for all citizens, wandering while a large number of students could be abducted from a particular school and taken through a long-distance without anyone seeing them along the way.

He spoke at the decoration of Deputy Comptrollers-General of Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) and Deputy Commandant-General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), recently promoted with their new ranks.

The Miniter spoke against the backdrop of panic in Abuja where it was reported that some schools hurriedly closed because of fear of attack, following information that about 200 unidentified men suspected to be bandits were dropped by a truck in Sabon Wuse area of Niger State, a border town with Bwari, Abuja.

“We have been in the throes of bandits, insurgents and other baddies, draining resources and psychic energy. Our agencies must rise to the occasion,” he said.

He charged the security agencies on intelligence gathering around the communities, noting that the criminals live among the people in homes, offices, farms, bushes and forests.

He said: “You are coming on board at a period of great national security challenge. Though you are paramilitary agencies, quite strangely, the public expects you to solve Nigeria’s security challenges.

“The Ministry of Interior is always on the mouth of commentators and analysts when the security situation in the country is being mentioned. This is to let you know the great expectations people have of you.

Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in particular should maximise their grassroots penetration for intelligence gathering.

“The criminals live in our homes, offices, farms, bushes and forests. They roam our streets and engage in day-to-day activities with us. On the surface, they are just as ordinary and uniform as the rest of us.

“I will find it difficult to believe that it is possible to take such a large number of students through a reasonably long distance on open trucks and motorcycles without anyone seeing them along the way.

“It will be hard also to believe that some other Nigerians are not aware of their dens and the nefarious activities going on there as we speak.

“It is important therefore that you cultivate a deep relationship with the people in your communities so they can trust you with the vital information needed for securing the nation. We are at a point where we cannot but make a big difference.

“These challenges also extend to managing our borders. NIS has been doing a yeoman’s job but more needs to be done. A large chunk of the responsibility of containing Covid 19 and national security challenges falls on the NIS.

“Preventing those likely to do us harm from passing through our borders will forever remain a challenge. That is why you are there.

“Criminals will keep getting more sophisticated in order to be ahead of you; but in order to beat them, you have to be ahead of their game at all times. Playing catch up with criminals can be deadly and very costly.

“Keeping out known and unknown criminals out of our borders is, therefore, an unfinished business. You cannot rest on your oars,” Arẹgbẹsọla said.

The Minister equally tasked the officers and men of the Nigerian Correctional Service to work hard so as to prevent the current security challenges from getting into the custodial centres.

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