A non-governmental organisation, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has said the persistent failures of the Muhammadu Buhari -led administration (a retired Major General) to stop the constant invasions of schools and the violent kidnappings of pupils/Students and being kept in captivity for the prolonged period shows that the President has lost his legal support to remain a President.
The Rights group said it is only in Nigeria globally that terrorists have made it a hobby with the clear buy-in of government at the top to frequently invade schools armed to their teeth with sophisticated military-grade weapons to kidnap pupils and students are allowed by the government to keep the kidnapped citizens for as long as the terrorists want.
HURIWA lamented that even in Afghanistan and Syria are totally in a state of war, students are adequately protected and there is no recorded evidence anywhere that the terrorists in those war-torn nations have ever been allowed by the war-weary governments of those Jurisdictions to play Russian Roulettes with the lives of pupils and students like the way it is obtainable in Nigeria.
In a statement by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf, HURIWA upbraided President Buhari’s government for abandoning the sick Tagina kids abducted by terrorists in Niger State just as the Rights group alleged complicity of government at the highest levels for the mere fact that President Buhari has yet to list the armed Fulani kidnappers and militia members as terrorists and the government has not done anything towards freeing these kids.
HURIWA carpets the governor of Niger State for attending a social event where he partied before jetting out overseas on a frolicking mission on the same day that these school kids were abducted viciously by terrorists and have remained in captivity for nearly a month.
“This central administration similarly abandoned the kidnapped Greenfield University students in Kaduna and the Federal forestry school in Kaduna for months not until their parents sold all their assets and borrowed from all over to pay these terrorists hundreds of millions of Naira in ransom before the captives were released.”
“It is clear that President Buhari has breached the constitutional elementary duty of protecting citizens. This willful abdication of his legally binding duty of care as the Commander-in-Chief means that the government has run out of any sort of legitimacy to remain in power.
The National Assembly that ought to use threats of impeachment to compel effective protection of citizens’ lives, is a house of infamy whereby the leaders are stooges and slaves of the executive arm of government in violation of the principles of checks and balances exemplified in sections 4, 5 and 6”.
Specifically, sections 4, 5 and 6 stated thus: “4(1) The legislative powers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be vested in a National Assembly for the Federation, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives.” Section 5. (1) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the executive powers of the Federation: (a) shall be vested in the President and may subject as aforesaid and to the provisions of any law made by the National Assembly, be exercised by him either directly or through the Vice-President and Ministers of the Government of the Federation or officers in the public service of the Federation; and (b) shall extend to the execution and maintenance of this Constitution, all laws made by the National Assembly and to all matters with respect to which the National Assembly has, for the time being, power to make laws.
Section 6. (1) The judicial powers of the Federation shall be vested in the courts to which this section relates, being courts established for the Federation.”
HURIWA recalled with considerable sadness that terrorists rebaptised by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration as only armed bandits who abducted children of the Tanko Salihu Islamiyya school, Tegina in Niger State, have reduced the demanded ransom for their release to N150 million.
The Rights group learnt also that some of the 136 abducted pupils of Tanko Salihu Islamiyya School, Tegina in Rafi local government area, are reported to have fallen sick in captivity. The terrorists disclosed the children’s ill health to the headmaster of the Islamiyya School, Alhassan Garba Abubakar, who reported the situation to reporters. According to him, the bandits who had been demanding N200 million said they would accept N150 million as ransom to release the abducted children.
HURIWA recalled that the children were abducted on May 30, 2021, and have been in captivity for 16 days as of Tuesday, 15th June.
HURIWA learnt that some of the parents have been visiting churches and mosques in a bid to raise the money for the ransom just as it was gathered that some of the parents are praying and hoping the bandits would further reduce the ransom to something affordable.
The headteacher, who refused to disclose the amount raised so far, said it is still a far cry from the demanded ransom.“The amount raised so far has been a far cry from what the bandits are demanding before they release the pupils.” I am not part of the committee of the parents going to churches and mosques to solicit for donations for the ransom money to be paid; so I cannot tell you the exact amount of money raised so far,” he said.
HURIWA recalled that the Niger State Government has insisted it would not pay any ransom for the release of the children. It also assured parents that plans were underway to rescue the children.
HURIWA however stated that both the President and the Niger State governor have no basis for remaining in office since they breached the legal obligations they owe as of law to the citizens who elected them and conferred constitutional legitimacy on them to exercise authority. HURIWA has also called on the United Nations and global leaders to intervene and rescue these kids captured by terrorists who are pampered by the current leadership in Nigeria.
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