..Involves parents in security strategy plans
By Gabriel Udeh, Kaduna
Government has been called upon to involved parents and teachers in it’s plans strategy and drives towards securing students in there various schools from bandits and Kidnappers.
Similarly, parents have also been enjoined to support government in providing security to schools in form of finances to raised fence and other security measures, saying government alone cannot be to do everything.
Participants at the Monthly Forum with Media on Peace Journalism held on Tuesday 30th March, 2021, in Kaduna state, who stated these also urged government to heed the calls to negotiate with bandits with the sole aim to pave way for the release of Afaka 39 students because of circumstances surrounding their abduction.
In a communique, at the end of the forum, organized by the Interfaith Mediation Centre (IMC), on the Community Initiatives to Promote Peace (CIPP), participants also stressed the need to transferred students in high risk areas to schools in Central areas of States instead of shutting the schools down due to the prevailing insecurity circumstances.
The communique also called on Kaduna State government to be proactive by providing security in both public and private schools in the State in order to protect the lives of the students and their teachers.
“It called on the Kaduna State government to heed the calls by people to negotiate with the kidnappers/bandits that abducted the students of the Federal Forestry Mechanization College Afaka, Igabi local government area of Kaduna State, so as to pave way for the possible release of the abducted students.
They also observed that there is an urgent need to educate and enlighten students about basic security Tips so that they can protect themselves.
Participants noted that community leaders and parents could also team up with government so as to win the war against kidnapping and banditry in the State.
“Government should engage recognized civilian joint task force in the State and they should be equipped by the security agencies in the State so as to tackle the security challenge in the State.
According to them, unemployment is one of the major genesis of insecurity in Nigeria, stressing that there is urgent need to empower the people, especially the youth.
The forum lament I traded activities of kidnapping and banditry in places like Birinin Gwari, Giwa, Zangon Kataf , igabi local Chikun among others, which led to increase in more IDPs across the state and Nigeria, pointing out that, the urgent need for the governments to come to their humanitarian needs, especially as the raining season is fast approaching.
The forum lamented over the recent quit notice given to Yoruba tribes by some youths groups in Northern Nigeria, saying that Nigeria belongs to everybody and there is need to live together for the country to progress.
Personalities present at the forum include Kaduna state internal security and Home Affairs Mr Samuel Aruwan, Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria president among others
