Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last presidential election, has condemned, in totality, the abduction of some female students of the Federal University of Gusau, Zamfara State.
In a statement on his verified X handle on Tuesday, Obi, who noted that the “act remains condemnable”, stated that the abduction “brings to bear once again the national challenge of insecurity, which has continued to threaten our national peace and development.”
He said “The report of the unfortunate abduction of some female students of the Federal University of Gusau from their hostels at Sabon-Gida community in the Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State is very disturbing.
“This act remains condemnable, and the incident brings to bear once again the national challenge of insecurity, which has continued to threaten our national peace and development.”
Noting that the attack is an attack on the educational system of the country, the Labour Party has further called on security agents to work assiduously to ensure the prompt rescue of the remaining abductees.
“While I commend the security agencies for rescuing some of the abducted students already, I urge them to make more stringent efforts to ensure that the remaining students are rescued unhurt. This, and many other attacks on students, is an attack on education in a country where over 18 million out-of-school children are already roaming the streets,” he said.
“Attacks like this will only hurt the education system, forcing more students out of school. The government, therefore, owes the nation a duty to deliver its primary duty of securing lives and properties, which is the first step towards national development,” Obi added.
Obi also sympathized “with the victims of this unfortunate incident”, stating that he shared “the agony of their parents and relatives in this trying moment. I pray that they will be rescued and reunited with their families and loved ones.”
He also urged the nation to jettison negotiating with criminals in a bid to bring to a halt the habit of bending to their rules.
“We must, as a nation, resist any attempt to allow criminals to make the rules by which we live as a national community. And we should not allow bandits and criminals to destroy our nation.
“Combating insecurity remains the priority in the New Nigeria of my dream because I strongly believe that a safe and secure Nigeria is indeed possible,” Obi stated.
It will be recalled that Chronicle NG reported the abduction of some female students of the Federal University of Gusau from their hostels at Sabon-Gida community in the Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
However, thirteen of the students have regained their freedom thus far as a result of the Joint Task Force of Operation Hadarin Daji‘s “prompt response” from the land and air components of the military.
