1, 157 students kidnapped in 7 years – FG

Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, has expressed deep concerns over the growing wave of violent attacks on schools, noting that about 1,157 students have been kidnapped in seven years.

Dame Tallen stated this during a press briefing in commemoration of 2021 International Women’s Day, with the theme: Zero Discrimination Day.

She lamented that available statistics show that between 2014 when the Chibok girls were kidnapped to now, about 1,157 students have been kidnapped in seven years.

She frowned at the idea of closing down schools due to the spate of kidnappings, adding that it would mean that the terrorists would have won the war and fulfilled their initial agenda to stop Nigerian children from going to school.

She called on women in the country to raise their voice in prayers for God’s intervention against incessant kidnapping and banditry.

She stated that there is concerted effort among stakeholders, including Ministry of Affairs, Zamfara state government, among others to ensure the kidnapped GSS Jangebe in Talata Marafa LGA of Zamfara state, continue with their education.

“We were again woken up to yet another dastardly act of abduction of scores of school girls from Government Secondary School, Jangebe in Talata Marafa LGA of Zamfara state in the early hours of Friday, 26th February, 2021. This is indeed a set-back in the gains made in advancing girl-child education in the country.

“The frequency of these kidnapping are meant to instill fear in our citizens and undermine our corporate existence and we will not be deterred. We call on our security operatives to take heed and treat this with all sense of emergency and justice to ensure this does not occur again. We hereby appeal to the conscience of the captors of our young innocent girls to release the children.

“As the Minister of Women Affairs, my heart is torn into pieces at the mindlessness of the perpetrators of these heinous crimes against humanity. We will continue to pray for President-Muhammadu Buhari as he continues to pilot the affairs of our great Nation.”

The minister commended the efforts of all those involved in the rescue mission, appealing to leaders at all levels to pay attention to the infrastructural development and security of schools.

Leave a Reply