The Director-General of the Progressives Governors Forum, Dr. Salihu Lukeman, has recommended severe sanctions for security personnel, traditional and religious leaders in communities ravaged by kidnappings and banditry.
He described last Friday’s abduction of over 500 students of Government Secondary School Kankara, Katsina State, as a shameful national security embarrassment.
According to him, none of these spectacular security breaches could happen without some form of collaboration with security, community and religious leaders in affected areas.
This was contained in a statement titled, ‘Nigeria’s National Security Embarrassment Must be Brought to an End,’ which he signed and made public, in Abuja, on Tuesday.
He said, “The situation requires thorough introspection by not just our security agencies but also imposition of severe sanction against security personnel, traditional and community leaders where kidnappings, banditry and all the crimes consuming the lives of innocent Nigerians are taking place.
“Given that those who carried out the kidnap would have passed through villages and communities to where they may be hiding now, how much information have been volunteered by the adjourning security posts, traditional rulers, community leaders, and citizens in the villages in the routes leading to the location where these school kids are being held hostage?”
