By Shola Akingboye
Mr Tony Ojukwu, the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, (NHRC), has called the attention of the federal government to the Safe School Declaration it signed to provide adequate security for student in schools while lamenting the deteriorating and alarming state of insecurity in the country. He called on the government to take necessary actions to curtail the continuous abduction of school children.
According to a statement by the spokesperson of the Commission, Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, Ojukwu made the call when news of the abduction of some students of Government Science College Kagara, Niger State filtered in the air.
Ojukwu regretted the sad incident, he described it as an unfortunate situation happening few months after the kidnap of over 300 students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara in Katsina State.
The NHRC boss said the frequent abduction of students undermine the right to education of the affected children.
He further reminded authorities that the federal government has signed onto the safe schools declaration SSD for children, saying this is the time to ensure Nigeria fulfill its obligation under the safe schools Declaration.
The Executive Secretary reiterated the importance of the rights to education and security which he referred to as the bedrock of national development.
He charged the government to take necessary steps in making sure that people live freely wherever they are.
“The primary duty of government is the protection of lives and property which must not be compromised at any time”
“Our children must be protected from all forms of harm while enjoying their guaranteed rights to education anywhere”, he opined.
“Several other avoidable abductions have taken place like the Chibok girls saga, the unfortunate incident of Government Science and Technical College Dapchi as well as the Catholic Good Shepherd Major Seminary, Kaduna among others”.
“All these could have been avoided if there was proper security in place”, Ojukwu added.