A strong exchange of war or words ensued Thursday between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) over the fate of abducted students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina state.
The exchange is coming on the heel of a video released by the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents, where the boys are seen begging the federal government not to send soldiers and fighter jets for their rescue.
The video released Thursday by the insurgents, showed some of the boys believed to be the abducted secondary school students.
The school was attacked last week Friday, a day President Muhammadu Buhari arrived Daura, his home town, also in Katsina state.
While the government was looking the way of bandits as being responsible for the act, Abubakar Shekau, leader of the insurgents, countered by saying the Boko Haram elements were behind the dastardly act.
Also, Governor Aminu Bello Masari said 333 students were abducted, a position Abubakar Shekau, leader of the insurgents, faulted and claimed over 500 of the students were captured.
The boys’ plea
Speaking, one of the abductees, believed to be speaking under duress, was seen in the video begging that the vigilante groups in Katsina be scrapped, as well as the closure of all schools, including the Islamic schools.
The boy was also heard pleading with the Nigerian government to recall all the soldiers trying to rescue them from the terrorists, just as other boys were chorusing similar plea from the background.
While crying and begging for possible rescue, the boy said: “The soldiers cannot do anything to them, I swear, stop sending even the fighter jet here.”
The plea was intermittently being interjected by another voice believed to be one of the captors, assuring Governor Aminu Bello Masari that the students were safe and in good state of health.
PDP
Also same Thursday,the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held a peaceful protest within the Maitama area of its Legacy House presidential campaign office to challenge the APC-led government on the immediate return of the abducted Katsina students.
Led by its National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, his deputy (North), Sen. Suleiman Nazif, National Organising Secretary, Col. Austin Akobundu (rtd) and the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan among others, the party members carried placards with different inscriptions condemning the ‘insensitivity’ of the Buhari government to security situation in the country.
Such inscriptions include among others; ‘Buhari bring back our boys’, ‘Buhari has failed’, ‘Shame on PMB’, ‘APC govt is a failed govt’, and ‘Security Chiefs must go’.
In a very short remark, the national chairman, Prince Secondus said: “This is a peaceful protest to make the entire country and international community to be aware of what is going on in our country. And all we are saying is that Buhari bring back our boys from Katsina.
“It is important, we are in pain, the parents are in pain, the entire country is in pain, we’re in agony, we are in sorrow. It is high time for the government of the day, the APC government to bring back our boys from Katsina. That is the bold statement by PDP today with this peaceful protest.”
APC to security agencies: Investigation intelligence report linking North-west governor to banditry.
APC counters
But the ruling APC has asked the PDP from politicising the Kankara abduction, just as it asked security agencies to investigate an intelligence report linking a serving North-west governor to the heightened cases of banditry, abductions and other violent crimes in the zone.
The APC made the positions known while reacting to the protest by the PDP in Abuja.
In a statement Thursday in Abuja, Acting Deputy National Publicity Secretary Yekini Nabena accused the PDP of seeking political gains from issues of insecurity.
Nabena, who did not name the North-west governor because of the sensitive nature of the intelligence report, said the increased spate of banditry in the zone was politically-motivated and not unconnected to the unnamed governor’s alleged sponsorship of banditry and other violent crimes in the zone.
“Our security agencies have intelligence reports linking one of the North West governors of colluding and sponsoring the violent and criminal activities of bandits in the zone. I wont give details because of the sensitive and security nature of the issue. However, relevant security agencies must, as a matter of urgency, investigate the report and determine its veracity. Human life is not what we should play political chess games with.
“We must shun enemies of the country, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who seek political gains from issues of insecurity.
“Our security agencies must also be alert to plots to further destabilise the North-west region and frustrate the quick and safe release of students abducted following late Kankara Katsina State: Student kidnapping for (GSSS Kankara Katsina State) secondary school,” Nabena said
‘Don’t blackmail Buhari’
But the Buhari/ Osinbajo Dynamic Support Group has said the abduction of the students was carefully planned to embarrass the president.
The group urged parents of the students to be patient and cooperate with the Nigerian government, adding that the security apparatus were already mobilised to bring back the boys.
The group said despite the current challenges, especially insecurity bedevilling the country, the current administration meant well for the betterment of Nigerians.
Speaking at the APC national secretariat Thursday in Abuja, national coordinator of the group, Hon. Usmian lbrahim, said if people considered where Nigeria was coming from and put same in context the progress made and ongoing in the nation’s discourse, Nigerians would discover the progress made.
“Considering the above, it is our hope that you will find reason to believe that our President and his team actually meant well for the country and are working round the clock to ensure a better welfare and prosperity for all Nigerians.
“On behalf of MBO family worldwide, I want to join all well meaning Nigerians especially President Muhammadu Buhari to express our deep concern on the unfortunate incidence of the abduction of some students of GSSS Kankara, Katsina State. It is indeed a painful incidence designed to blackmail President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR.
“I do appeal to the parents of these boys to be patient and cooperate with the Nigerian government as the security apparatus are already mobilised to bring back the boys,” he said.
