SAN FRANCISCO, April 03, (THEWILL) – The abduction of about 110 students from Government Girls Science and Technical Secondary School, Dapchi in Yobe State by Boko Haram insurgents on February 19, 2018, has again come as a rude shock to Nigerians.
Coming four years after about 276 girls were abducted in similar circumstances in Chibok, Borno State, it is inconceivable that the insurgents were given a similar opening to perpetuate their criminality.
Even though some of the girls were freed in a negotiation that involved swapping them with some detained insurgents and alleged payment ransom, till date, 112 of the Chibok victims remain in captivity.
THEWILL, like many Nigerians and the international community are appalled that the Boko Haram could abduct the Dapchi schoolgirls in the manner like the Chibok abduction without any confrontation by the Nigerian military. We are indeed very worried at the federal government’s approach to the security of lives and property.
Thankfully, all of the Dapchi schoolgirls except one have regained their freedom following negotiations between government and the terrorists. Sadly, about four of the teenage girls died during their brief captivity.
We however maintain our reservations on payment of ransom and release of detained terrorists as tools for negotiating with the Boko Haram or any terrorist group especially with recent media reports that suggests racketeering on the part of security personnel saddled with negotiating with the insurgents for the release of abducted citizens.
In the face of these daunting security challenges, we implore the Federal Government to deploy more effective border control measures in checking the porous pathways that allow unfettered movements in and out of the country especially with reports that the girls were taken outside the country by their abductors.
Unless government takes decisive action to guarantee security in and around schools, there is the fear that more girls might be abducted, while government in its characteristics approach, would continue to resort to its fruitless negotiation policy.
These kidnappings bring to the fore the need for state police to be established to tackle peculiar challenges, in line with our earlier position. Beyond the rhetoric, the Dapchi case has exposed Nigeria as a country that is at war with itself.
Nigeria must find a way to bring the Boko Haram crisis and kidnappings to an end and restore order to the north east so that development and economic growth can return.
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