Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has welcomed the safe return of abducted Kuriga school children, while urging federal and state governments to take proactive measures against future reoccurrence of the heinous act.
ACF in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, on Monday, called for intensified efforts by security agencies to ensure the return of all remaining captives, both school children, members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and adult men and women abducted across the country.
ACF said, “It is with warm hearts full of relief and gratitude that the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) received news about the release students abducted from schools at Kuriga, Kaduna state, Tsangaya school children abducted in Gada Local Government Area, Sokoto state, and some of the long-held students of Federal University Gusau (FUGUS).
“Without prejudice however, for ACF the development hopefully signals a new dawn in anti-terrorism measures being applied by government. Specific to Kuriga, the rescue of the innocent kids is highly commendable. As alluded to in the statement from Sen. Uba Sani, the operation was made possible by a needed collaboration between various stakeholders including the security forces, the Kaduna state government (KDSG) and locals.
“Many have indeed been stridently calling for such an approach to stamping out for good, the menace of terrorism and banditry that as existential threats to communities in Nigeria. All who contributed to seeing the feat deserve much appreciation and gratitude from all Nigerians. ACF joins all to extend kudos to the Federal Government and its security agencies, Senator Sani and KDSG, members of the local communities involved and indeed any and every one that contributed to this happy denouement to the horrific nightmare scenario.
“ACF also rejoices with the student, their parents and guardians. Going forward, ACF calls for strengthening this new anti-terrorism multi-stakeholder, multi-pronged strategy, involving all those with direct and indirect responsibilities for securing peoples and communities and, ultimately, Nigeria.
“ACF further recommends; efforts should be intensified to have all remaining captives, everywhere and anywhere released. For Kuriga, this is vital, because the number of victims released is at variance with earlier figures of abductees as indeed reflected in various news reports.
“The adoption of simple but effective community-based measures, including simple or user-friendly gadgets, incorporating solid intelligence gathering and processing, for early warning, early response strategy to secure all vulnerable communities and facilities; Psychological counselling for the released victims so that mental effect of the trauma is minimised and they return to normalcy soonest;
“ACF reiterates its earlier call on the parents and students to remain defiant and not to be discouraged. The terror merchants must not be allowed any semblance of victory, pyrrhic as it will be; and the immediate rehabilitation of schools to make the learning environment conducive. Video clips of decrepit buildings and facilities at the Kuriga school as beamed on international media is bad statement for public policy.”
