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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Reacting to a wave of kidnappings across the country, Peace Corps Commandant Dickson Akoh has implored the federal and state governments to deploy his personnel to schools in the to curb the problem.
Akoh, who stated this on Monday while addressing newsmen in Abuja, noted that ransoms allegedly paid to kidnappers and criminals would be enough to place over 5,000 Peace Corps officers on a monthly basis to protect schools against external attackers.
According to him, even without arms, the Corps will function effectively with intelligent gathering and collaboration with relevant security agencies, warning that the civil unrest would continue even with the mounting of security posts in troubled spots, except government takes concrete measures to empower the masses.
He claimed that over 1,140 students had been kidnapped in 7 years with some either killed, forcefully married off or serially raped with reckless abandon.
‘It is logical to acknowledged here that our dear country is indeed passing through unprecedented security challenges that seems to have defy prescribed or conventional solution,’ he said.
‘Kidnappers via-a-vis the bandits focused their attack on the elites and political office holders in the name of ventilating their anger and frustrations.
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‘But redirecting their attention on innocent youths and students, being soft targets, is to say the least an act taken too far and this calls for drastic measures to be in place if the war against banditry is to be won.
‘So far, statistics reveals that from Chibok to Jangede1,140 students have been abducted in seven years with some of them killed, forcefully married away, maimed or remained truamatised even after regaining freedom.
‘The banditry and the attendant horror being visited on our schools, if not urgently addressed frankly and frontally, will not only instil psychological fear on the students, which is capable of creating a disconnect in our educational system, with grievous implications on national development.
‘Peace Corps Nigeria urges the Federal Government to urgently come up with conscious and deliberate policies geared towards protecting, securing and safeguarding our institutions of learning from further attacks by the marauding bandits.’
He continued: ‘In other civilised climes, every aspect of social life has its specialised security network. The primary focus of the Peace Corps of Nigeria is to secure educational institutions from intruders and also combat all forms of social vices with a view to create a peaceful and conducive atmosphere for learning.
‘This is also part of the functions that the Bill for an Act to establish the Nigerian Peace Corps currently pending before the 9th is National Assembly is seeking to address.’
