Kagara: Former minister Ezekwesili blasts FG, says kidnappings now flourish in Nigeria
- An ex-minister of education, Oby Ezekwesili, has lamented over the rate of insecurity in Nigeria
- Some students of Kagara in Niger state were abducted on Wednesday, February 17, by unknown gunmen
- Ezekwesili said that the country has become a place where banditry thrives
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Oby Ezekwesili, a former minister of education, has alleged that there is a “strange incestuous relationship between government and abductors.”
Legit.ng reports that Ezekwesili who wrote on Twitter on Friday, February 19, said the relationship had enabled the industry of abduction to flourish.
The ex-minister lamented that the friendship with abductors is being thrown in the face of citizens by those in authority. She further described the friendship as shameful.
Source: Twitter
She said:
“There’s now an industry of abduction flourishing on basic market principles of demand and supply."
The former minister also faulted the statement that bandits deserve sympathy which was made by the governor of Zamfara state, Bello Matawalle.
She said:
“They were deliberate in coercing the media to support their rebranding of terrorists as Bandits. Yesterday, I read that a governor of Zamfara said. Bandits deserve sympathy from Nigerians. A man whose people are being killed daily by his rebranded terrorists.”
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that Governor Abubakar Sani-Bello of Niger state dispelled the rumour that 27 students and 3 teachers abducted on Wednesday, February 17, at Government Science College, Kagara, have been released.
It was reported that he said the government was in the last stage of negotiations with the bandits, promising the victims would be released soon.
The bandits had kidnapped some students and teachers in the north-central state earlier this week.
The students and their teachers had been held captive in the hideout of the bandits around Bangi forest in Mariga local government area of the state for about 48 hours after their abduction from their dormitories within the school premises.
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In a related report, Sheik Gumi met with bandits hiding in forests located between Tegina and Birnin Gwari areas of the state.
After his meeting with the criminals, Sheik Gumi told journalists that the Niger captives would be released in no time.
A source within the Gumi-led delegation said the scholar had talks with the gang leader, Dogo Gide, among other commanders at Dutsen Magaji forest.
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Wale Akinola is a passionate journalist and researcher. He works as a senior political/current affairs editor at Legit.ng. He holds both B.A and Master’s degree in Communications and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan. He also holds a Diploma Certificate in Peace Journalism. He has over 15 years of work experience in both print and online media. He derives joy in keeping the public abreast of current happenings locally and internationally through his writings.
Source: Legit.ng
