The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) has described as a welcomed development the news of the release of the children of Kuriga school in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna state.
The President General of the forum, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, in a statement on Sunday averred that the abduction of the children and some of their teacher was a devastating one, saying that the children were subjected to a traumatic experience when the bandits stormed their school in the early hours of 7th March, 2024 and marched them into the forest in Kaduna State only to be rescued in Zamfara State.
Shettima stated that upon the abduction of the school children expressed deep concern over the escalating security crisis in the North, stressing that the worsening state of security in the nation highlighted by the alarming increase in school abductions called for concern.
He lamented that the fact that the abduction of school children has now become a common occurrence in Northern Nigeria and that it poses a serious threat to education in the region.
He commended the collaborative efforts between the government, security agencies, and local communities that ensured the rescue of the children, adding that such collaborative efforts should be sustained particularly in preventing such occurrences in the future.
Shettima reiterated the need for government and security agencies to redouble their efforts towards flushing out these criminals from the system once and for all.
Shettima had kicked against negotiating with the bandits and supported them stance of the government when some quarters were suggesting negotiation and unequivocally said criminals are not to be negotiated with and should not be.
He prayed against reoccurrence of such traumatic experience on our children and for Allah to deliver us as a country from all forms of enemies of the state.
Arewa group hails release of abducted Kuriga students
