Reconsider Your Stand On Repentant Bandits, NHRC Urges Zamfara

The National Human Rights Commission, on Saturday, expressed
concerns over the rising cases of kidnapping of boarding schools’
students in northern parts of the country.

The commission also called on the Zamfara State Government to
reconsider its stand on repentant bandits to avoid elevation of
criminality to a level where they would be dictating conditions for
negotiations with government.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Tony Ojukwu, stated
this in a statement by the Commission’s Deputy Director of Public
Affairs, Fatimah Mohammed, in Abuja.

He was reacting to the recent reports of the abduction of over
300 students at Government Girls Science Secondary School Janjebe,
Zamfara State.

According to him, young boys and girls have unfortunately been
abused and violated by some unscrupulous elements in the society
with a high level of impunity.

Ojukwu said, “The level of insecurity in Nigeria is getting
worse by the day and as such poses additional challenge to all the
security agencies, particularly the Police, Department of State
Service and Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps to do the
needful to restore citizens’ confidence in government to protect
them.

“Against this backdrop, we call on the security agencies to do
all in their capacity to rescue the innocent school children so as
not to adversely affect school enrollment in the state, thereby
jeopardizing their right to education.

“The commission is also using this opportunity to call on the
Zamfara state government to reconsider its concept of repentant
bandits so that the state government does not elevate criminality
to a level where bandits will be dictating conditions for
negotiations with government.

“We appeal to the abductors to remember that the school girls in
their custody are innocent and therefore do not deserve any form of
violations or mistreatment, imploring them to ensure their
immediate and unconditional release.

“The NHRC is also appealing to the parents and guardians of the
distressed school girls not to lose hope in reuniting with their
children and wards, as the relevant agencies of government both at
the federal and state level are expectedly doing the needful to
address the unfortunate incident.

“We reiterate the need for all the stakeholders to ensure the
implementation of the Child’s Rights Act 2003, particularly rights
to free and compulsory education at least up to Senior Secondary
School level. This cannot be realised where the school environment
is not safe and secure for a continuous learning.”

The National Human Rights Commission, on Saturday, expressed
concerns over the rising cases of kidnapping of boarding schools’
students in northern parts of the country.

The commission also called on the Zamfara State Government to
reconsider its stand on repentant bandits to avoid elevation of
criminality to a level where they would be dictating conditions for
negotiations with government.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Tony Ojukwu, stated
this in a statement by the Commission’s Deputy Director of Public
Affairs, Fatimah Mohammed, in Abuja.

He was reacting to the recent reports of the abduction of over
300 students at Government Girls Science Secondary School Janjebe,
Zamfara State.

According to him, young boys and girls have unfortunately been
abused and violated by some unscrupulous elements in the society
with a high level of impunity.

Ojukwu said, “The level of insecurity in Nigeria is getting
worse by the day and as such poses additional challenge to all the
security agencies, particularly the Police, Department of State
Service and Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps to do the
needful to restore citizens’ confidence in government to protect
them.

“Against this backdrop, we call on the security agencies to do
all in their capacity to rescue the innocent school children so as
not to adversely affect school enrollment in the state, thereby
jeopardizing their right to education.

“The commission is also using this opportunity to call on the
Zamfara state government to reconsider its concept of repentant
bandits so that the state government does not elevate criminality
to a level where bandits will be dictating conditions for
negotiations with government.

“We appeal to the abductors to remember that the school girls in
their custody are innocent and therefore do not deserve any form of
violations or mistreatment, imploring them to ensure their
immediate and unconditional release.

“The NHRC is also appealing to the parents and guardians of the
distressed school girls not to lose hope in reuniting with their
children and wards, as the relevant agencies of government both at
the federal and state level are expectedly doing the needful to
address the unfortunate incident.

“We reiterate the need for all the stakeholders to ensure the
implementation of the Child’s Rights Act 2003, particularly rights
to free and compulsory education at least up to Senior Secondary
School level. This cannot be realised where the school environment
is not safe and secure for a continuous learning.”