From Fred Itua, Abuja
The Senate on Thursday summoned all the security chiefs over the rising abduction of university students in many parts of the country.
The move followed a motion by Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua during plenary. He told his colleagues to focus on the kidnapping of five female students of the Federal University in Dutsinma (FUDMA), Katsina in the early hours of Wednesday.
The attack occurred 12 days after bandits forced their way into three hostels of the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State and abducted 24 students. Sixteen of them had been successfully freed.
On Monday, August 21, 2023, eight corps members were also kidnapped by suspected terrorists on their way to camp in Zamfara State.
The senator said the kidnap incidents have thrown the university and academic communities into a panic mood.
The lawmaker expressed concern that the frequency of kidnapping for ransom has become almost a daily and weekly occurrence in major towns and communities in the North West geopolitical zone.
Worried by the increasing rate of student abduction, the Senate resolved to fix a date to invite the security chiefs to address the lawmakers on the abduction of students and efforts to curb the menace.
It also urged the various security agencies in Nigeria to be more proactive and ensure these kidnapped Students are all released without delay.
The Senate called on the military and other security agencies to conduct a special operation to dislodge the bandits in the Northwest zone.
It directed the Nigeria Police to ensure that the school protection squad demonstrates a clear commitment to protecting school children and provide a safe environment where students and teachers can engage in teaching and learning without the fear of being attacked or kidnapped.