The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) has said in a statement through its Director, Publicity and Advocacy, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, that the alarming rate of insecurity in the country, especially in the North, is very worrisome, but the inability of the Buhari administration to address the problem is way more concerning.
It said that a country that is being overrun by criminals, is nothing more than a failed state. This he said, is true when the people no longer have faith in the government.
The Elders also said the unabated abduction of students in the region poses threat to education in the region, especially the education of the girl-child.
It added saying it is obvious that government lacks capability to limit the exposure of defenseless Nigeria to armed bandits and kidnappers.
“It has become painfully obvious that the Federal Government is unable to muster the will or the capacity to limit exposure of Nigerians to violent criminals.
“Governors have been left to quarrel over causes and strategies. Many are taking steps that have dubious legal foundations, most of which merely compound the State of Security of the citizen in the country.
“In spite of assurances from the Federal Government that it will end banditry and kidnappings, the life of the Nigerian is becoming more endangered by the day, and citizens have lost faith that Governments will reverse the successes of the criminal against defenceless citizens.
“The latest reported kidnapping of more than hundreds of female students in Zamfara State follows the abduction of student of GSC, Kagara, Niger State.
“Apart from the likelihood of similar abductions re-occurring as bandits engage in copy cat crimes in a region that is basically unprotected, these abductions will severely damage the poor state of education in the North, particularly girl-child education”, NEF noted.