Senate Condemns Abduction of Students, Teachers in Oyo & Borno

The Nigerian Senate has strongly condemned the abduction of 87 students and teachers in separate incidents across Borno and Oyo states within 24 hours.

Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, described the attacks as a direct assault on the nation’s future.

In a statement released on Sunday by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, Bamidele highlighted the alarming nature of the abductions, noting that $30 million had been raised globally in 2014 to enhance security in public and private schools across the country.

On Friday, suspected gunmen abducted 45 students and teachers from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School, and L.A. Primary School in Esiele, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

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In the same period, Boko Haram terrorists attacked Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, abducting 42 students.

Senator Bamidele, who is also Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, said the incidents underscore the urgent need for state police.

“The 10th National Assembly is at an advanced stage of amending the 1999 Constitution to pave the way for state police,” he said.

He added that the process would soon be concluded and transmitted to state houses of assembly for ratification.

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Bamidele explained that the proposal requires two-thirds approval by state assemblies before state police can become operational.

He appealed to state governments and legislatures to treat the state police initiative as a matter of strategic national importance.

He warned against politicising the initiative along partisan or ethno-religious lines.

As an immediate measure, he urged both federal and state governments to fully activate the Safe School Initiative.

He noted that Nigeria currently has 18.3 million out-of-school children.

The Senate Leader described the recurring abduction of students and teachers as “a tragic national concern that negates our national development indices.”

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He assured Nigerians that the National Assembly would deploy legislative measures to tackle the menace when plenary resumes on June 2.

“One of such initiatives is the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution that seeks to establish state police, which is now at an advanced stage,” Bamidele stated.

He added that another measure is the amendment of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, aimed at strengthening consequences in the justice system and discouraging heinous crimes nationwide.

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