The Northern Elders Forum has issued a dire warning over the region’s child abduction problem.
The forum expressed its joy at the safe return of the kidnapped Kuriga schoolchildren in a statement released on Sunday by Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, its director of publicity and advocacy and spokeswoman.
“This news offers the community hope during a difficult time. As adults, we must embrace the children’s return and stress the critical need for appropriate medical care and shock tests as they reintegrate into society.
“This abduction at the school is just one more unfortunate event that emphasizes the increasing demand for better security measures. The Northern Elders Forum makes the unwavering statement, “Enough is enough.” Our children’s safety and security should never be jeopardized or negotiable. Living in such precarious conditions is intolerable for Nigerians, especially those residing in the northern region.
Unfortunately, there have already been glaring indications of a failure to provide individuals with the basic security of life and property within months of the Tinubu administration taking office. Our authorities must respond to this gravely troubling issue right away.
“Although we are happy to see the returned Kuriga schoolchildren, we also need to take this as a wake-up call for all of us.” In the face of such acts of cruelty and disdain for human life, we cannot afford to become numb. It is our responsibility as elders to care for and safeguard the next generation, the forum stated.
In order to make sure that “our children can go to school without fear,” the forum encouraged the government and other pertinent authorities to collaborate closely with it. Our children’s safety and wellbeing must always come first. We also demand that our leaders take responsibility for the security issues affecting our communities and act quickly to resolve them.
“The Kuriga schoolchildren’s homecoming is evidence of our community’s resiliency and tenacity. Let’s seize this opportunity to come together and actively strive toward creating safer environments for our kids and communities.
