Schoolchildren kidnap: Why bandits are concentrating on Kaduna - Opinion
Editor's note: In the following write-up, the writer, Onyirioha Nnamdi, x-rays a possible reason that is fuelling multiple bandit attacks on students and pupils in Kaduna state within the last four days.
In less than four days, bandits operating under the guise of faceless gunmen have attacked two schools in Kaduna: the Federal College Of Forestry Mechanization in Afaka and UBE Primary School in Rama part of Birnin Gwari local government area.
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In both attacks, not less than 200 students and pupils were abducted with no record of casualty released both from the police and the state government.
There is a sense in which these tragedies were caused by Governor Nasir El-Rufai, of course with intention of point accusing fingers at him.
Before the ugly incidents, Governor El-Rufai had maintained a stern position on the issue of amnesty for the criminals as done by some of his northern colleagues.
Source: Twitter
In March 2021, the governor was reported to have argued that he does not believe offering open hands of acceptance to hardened criminals who now see kidnapping and the torture of innocent persons as a way of life will change them.
Moreover, the Kaduna governor insisted that these bandits are lured to hang on to the crime because they earn a much bigger amount of money as ransoms for their captives compared to when they were mere herdsmen.
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Now, considering that these bandits update themselves with current local happenings, even if they do not have the best of education, it is natural to conclude that news of the governor's resolve has gotten to them.
Thus, it follows that the recent activities of the criminals are done as a strong statement to the state government.
The onus now lies on the state and the armed forces to collaborate with the police in a series of frontal operations that will hopefully flush out these evil-minded fellows.
Meanwhile, the Kaduna state government had confirmed the abduction of pupils and teachers in Birnin Gwari local government area of the state on Monday.
The confirmation was contained in a statement released by the state's commissioner of internal security and home affairs, Samuel Aruwan.
The statement cites preliminary reports as indicating that the incident occurred at an LEA Primary School in the local government area.
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Onyirioha Nnamdi is a graduate of Literature and English Language at the University of Lagos. He is a Politics/Current Affairs Editor who writes on news and political topics for Legit.ng. He brings into his reporting a wealth of experience in creative and analytical writing. Nnamdi has a major interest in local and global politics.
Source: Legit.ng
