By Fatima Zahra Muhammad
ASHENEWS reports that the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has described the bandits’ abduction of the students of the Federal University Gusau (FUGUS), as an attack in education.
A statement by the national publicity secretary of the Forum, made available to ASHENEWS on Sunday, also said the abduction is one attack too many.
“ACF condemns the abductions in the strongest of terms. It is very disconcerting that such a most unfortunate criminal incident is not the first of its kind in memory but it certainly is one abduction far too many to occur in any community in Nigeria, nor elsewhere in the world.”
The association which expressed concern on the effect of such attacks on education, particularly girl child education urged stakeholders to commit to addressing the menace.
”For ACF, the incident is even more worrisome, being of far reaching negative implications, among many others, for access to education which, especially for the girl-child, is subject to many formidable challenges in the best of times.
”A pointer to the unfolding tragedy is in an apparent voice note on social media where a girl was heard stating that her father had called her home, ordering that her pursuit of a university degree be abandoned; another was heard advising intending candidates for admission not to select this particular institution as place of choice. This is an absolutely and highly regrettable development to be condemned in all its ramifications.
“As always, ACF urges the FGN to rejig Nigerias security architecture and to come up with new multi-pronged containment strategies against security and related existential threats bedevilling schools and indeed all communities.
“Such new strategies should aim at the total eradication of the scourge of banditry and terrorism country-wide,” the statement said.
