By Shadrack Samuel Adamu
Kidnapping is taking somebody away illegally and keep them as prisoners especially in order to get money or something else for returning them.
Nigeria schools especially boarding schools are facing a lot of threat from kidnappers.
Starting from chibok on 14th April 2014, were 276 school girls were kidnapped, putting parents cry tirelessly. Nigerians and even foreigners advocated for the release of the girls with the hashtag bring back our girls some of which are release while other are not.
On 11th December 2020, over 300 pupils were also kidnapped from a boys secondary boarding school in Kankara, Katsina state, northern part of Nigeria.
42 people including 27 students were also kidnapped from boarding school in kagara in the north-central state of Niger who were also released.
As if that was not enough, another kidnap of school children happened nine days after the kagara kidnap, where 279 boarding school girls in Jangebe, Zamfara where also abducted.
Chibok girls were abducted seven year ago some though were released but what about those are yet to be released, are they still alive or death? Those girls I am sure have beautiful plans for their future but those dreams and ambition have been shattered.
Kankara, Kagara and Jangebe students were later release, but that action has created fear in the minds of the kids.
Why should the journey in search of knowledge be threaten by other wo feels education means nothing?
Those terrorist have directly declared war on education which should be the priority of every serious country. And the most upsetting is that, our leaders are pampering them by paying them handsomely they have gotten an occupation that pays more than any government job in the country, why would they stop if our leaders continue to incentive them.
Just like Audu Bulama Bukarti rightly said, no child should have to choose between their education and their live and no parents should be made to see the decision to send their children to school as a difficult one.
The children of the poor masses are suffering the threat of kidnappers while children of the rich are schooling either abroad or in expensive schools within the country with a lot of security to guard them/
Going to school and graduating with a good grade remain the only way children of the poor can get access to government jobs in the country why then is that only option threaten and the leaders are not taking any serious actions what really is the fate of children of the poor in such situation?
Enough is enough! Children of the poor are also citizens, and therefore, they need to be secured in their father land.
Our leaders should stop taking kidnappers friends it high time they are treated as their deed deserve because given them money is making them continue as they will use the money to buy weapons to keep perpetuating evil.
Security agents should also be given all the necessary support to make sure they protect the children.
Shadrack Samuel Adamu writes from Mass Communication Department of Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic Bauchi.
