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Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar has urged the Federal and some state governments to stop encouraging criminals by paying ransoms to them.
The former vice president stated this in a statement yesterday in which he condemned the abduction of students and staff of Government Science College, Kagara, Niger State and the death of a student.
The statement entitled “Kagara Abduction: We Must Stop Rewarding Criminality, Or It Will Increase,” Atiku said and allowing criminals to profit from their criminality is not a solution, pointing out that “when you reward crimes, the end result is more crime.”
The statement reads: “I condemn the abduction of students and staff of Government Science College, Kagara, Niger State. The reported death of one of the students in the process of escape, is heartbreaking. The thoughts of my family and I are with the parents and the authorities of the institution.

“The spate of insecurity in Nigeria is now beyond alarming. It has gotten to crisis levels, especially when it involves children and other minors.

“Now is not the time for fingers to point in blame. Our nation needs solutions. And we have now seen that paying ransoms and allowing criminals to profit from their criminality is not a solution.

“When you reward crimes, the end result is more crime.

“The only long term solution to the insecurity challenge Nigeria is facing is to end the reign of impunity. The Federal Government must enforce the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria against abductions and kidnappings, by apprehending the criminals, trying them and making an example of those convicted, to serve as a deterrent to others.

“Also, we must be proactive. We cannot wait for these abductions to happen and then go into reactive mode.

I therefore call on the Federal Government to declare all secondary and primary schools in the affected states and zones, as Federal Protected Zones, and post armed military personnel at all schools for 24/7 protection. If it is not feasible to have armed military guards in all schools, then each state in the should as a matter of urgency replicate the Civilian Joint Task Force idea, that has worked so well in Borno, and deploy them to each school, along with men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps.

“What we must not do is do nothing. History may forgive us for making wrong decisions, but we will never be forgiven if we carry on business as usual.

“As a nation, we must be willing to provide the same level of security that we provide for the schools that the children of the elite attend, for schools that the children of other classes of Nigerians attend.

“I pray that the Kagara staff and students are rescued, and for peace to return to Nigeria.

Atiku Abubakar
Vice President of Nigeria, 1999-2007
17th February, 2021.