The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the abduction of over 300 students of Girl’s Science Secondary School Jangebe in Zamfara state.
In the early hours of Friday gunmen stormed the school and kidnapped unspecified number of students on an exchange programme.
The party, in a statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Friday, also tasked President Muhammadu Buhari to wake up from slumber and deal decisively with the escalated scourge.
The statement read: “The party laments that the terrifying spate of abduction and acts of terrorism in the country validates concerns that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its administration have become bereft of solutions to the escalated insecurity under their watch.
Demands victims’ release
“Our party demands immediate full scale investigation into this particularly abduction given some worrisome reports going round in the public space.
“The PDP is further alarmed by the current situation wherein outlaws have turned the kidnapping of innocent school children and other vulnerable citizens for ransom, into a lucrative business following the lethargic approach and compromises under the Buhari administration in the fight against terrorism in our country.
“Only last week, gunmen had a field day invading communities after communities in Niger state, killing and maiming our compatriots after which they descended on Government Secondary School Kagara where they killed a student and abducted 40 others alongside their teachers.
“In December, just two months ago, the nation was jolted when gunmen invaded President Buhari’s home state, Katsina, at the time he was holidaying in the state and abducted over 600 students of the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara.
“Indeed, our party weeps over the unfortunate situation that our nation is being plunged into by the incompetent, deceptive and uncoordinated APC and its administration that not only caused the escalation of acts of terrorism in our country but also failed to run an effective command structure to secure the nation.
Says APC imports bandits
“The PDP had earlier alerted of a link between the APC and the outlaws. It is unpardonable that the APC has failed to rein in their bandits, who they brought from neighboring countries to help them to muscle the 2019 election. Instead, they had allowed them to continue to invade our communities and wreck havoc on our people.
“The party therefore charges President Buhari to step out of the Aso Rock presidential villa and ensure the immediate rescue of the abducted students.
“Mr. President should also do the needful, as the commander-in-chief, to put an end to this high-level insecurity under his watch, before our nation is consumed in his hands.
“The PDP identifies with the families of the abducted children as well as the victims of the worsened insecurity occasioned by the failures of the Buhari administration and urge all Nigerians to remain alert, strong and not resign to despondency”.