Senator Bello Mandiya representing Katsina South in the National Assembly has cried out that the fate of the abducted Kankara schoolboys may be like that of the Chibok and Dapchi schoolgirls if the government delays taking the necessary measures to rescue them.
Senator Mandiya brought the issue of the abduction of the over 500 schoolboys to the floor of the Senate on Tuesday.
The lawmaker expressed sadness over the abduction of students at Government Science School, Kankara, Katsina State by gunmen on Friday, calling on the government to act fast.
He recalled that the Katsina State Governor, Mallam Aminu Masari was reported to have confirmed that before the incident, the school which operates as a boarding school had a total student population of 884 students but after the attack, the whereabouts of 333 students is yet to be ascertained.
“Aware that section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended stipulates that the welfare and security of citizens shall be the primary responsibility of government; thus the government at all levels owes the people the duty to provide adequate security,” he said.
The lawmaker further reminded his colleagues that the Kankara kidnap came on the heels of yet to be resolved abduction of 270 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State in 2014, and abduction of about 100 schoolgirls Dapchi in Yobe State in 2018.
“Concerned that like the other incidents of school children abduction that took place in Chibok and Dapchi, several years back, if no immediate action is taken to rescue the Kankara School boys, their fate may be sealed in the hands of terrorists,” the lawmaker cried out.
