Kagara Abduction: We Must Stop Rewarding Criminality – Atiku Abubakar

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Wednesday said Nigeria must stop rewarding criminality, warning that doing so will result in more crimes being perpetrated.

In a statement he personally signed, Abubakar lamented the deteriorating state of insecurity in the country, describing the menace as alarming.

While noting that a situation whereby children and minors were being kidnapped, the ex-vice president asked the Federal Government to tackle cases of abductions by ending what he calls the reign of impunity.

“Now is not the time for fingers to point in blame. Our nation needs solutions. And we have now seen that paying ransoms, and allowing criminals to profit from their criminality is not a solution,” he said.

“When you reward crimes, the end result is more crime. The only long-term solution to the insecurity challenge Nigeria is facing is to end the reign of impunity.

“The Federal Government must enforce the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria against abductions and kidnappings, by apprehending the criminals, trying them, and making an example of those convicted, to serve as a deterrent to others.”

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He also called for the protection of schoolchildren in the affected states, asking the Nigerian government to deploy all-around security personnel.

The ex-vice president said if it is “not feasible to have armed military guards in all schools, then each state in the should as a matter of urgency replicate the Civilian Joint Task Force idea, that has worked so well in Borno and deploy them to each school, along with men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.”

His remarks come hours after gunmen stormed Government Science College Kagara in Rafi Local Government Area of the state, killing one student ad abducting several others.

SEE FULL STATEMENT HERE:

PRESS RELEASE

Kagara Abduction: We Must Stop Rewarding Criminality, Or It Will Increase

I condemn the abduction of students and staff of Government Science College, Kagara, Niger State. The reported death of one of the students in the process of escape, is heartbreaking. The thoughts of my family and I are with the parents and the authorities of the institution.

The spate of insecurity in Nigeria is now beyond alarming. It has gotten to crisis levels, especially when it involves children and other minors.

Now is not the time for fingers to point in blame. Our nation needs solutions. And we have now seen that paying ransoms, and allowing criminals to profit from their criminality is not a solution.

When you reward crimes, the end result is more crime.

The only long term solution to the insecurity challenge Nigeria is facing is to end the reign of impunity. The Federal Government must enforce the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria against abductions and kidnappings, by apprehending the criminals, trying them and making an example of those convicted, to serve as a deterrent to others.

Also, we must be proactive. We cannot wait for these abductions to happen and then go into reactive mode.

I therefore call on the Federal Government to declare all secondary and primary schools in the affected states and zones,  as Federal Protected Zones, and post armed military personnel at all schools for 24/7 protection. If it is not feasible to have armed military guards in all schools, then each state in the should as a matter of urgency replicate the Civilian Joint Task Force idea, that has worked so well in Borno, and deploy them to each school, along with men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

What we must not do is do nothing. History may forgive us for making wrong decisions, but we will never be forgiven if we carry on business as usual.

As a nation, we must be willing to provide the same level of security that we provide for the schools that the children of the elite attend, for schools that the children of other classes of Nigerians attend.

I pray that the Kagara staff and students are rescued, and for peace to return to Nigeria.

Atiku Abubakar

Vice President of Nigeria, 1999-2007

17th February, 2021.