Image: NY Times
Faizel Patel – 17/12/2020
A political analyst says the abduction of hundreds of students from an all-boys school in the northwestern state of Katsina in Nigeria by terrorist group Boko Haram feeds their passion to stop the teaching of Western Education.
Military spokesman General John Enenche told Channels TV on Monday that 333 pupils were unaccounted for after heavily armed gunmen on motorcycles raided the all-boys Government Science Secondary School in the town of Kankara.
According to the government, a joint rescue operation was launched on Saturday by Nigeria’s police, air force and army.
The army says it had located the hideout of the men, and that a military operation was under way.
Speaking to Radio Islam, Damimola Olawuyi says Boko Haram have expanded their region of influence to target more areas putting pressure on the Nigerian government.
“Boko Haram have achieved the purpose of them drawing attention to themselves announcing that they are still a fighting force and it puts pressure on the government. Government may enter into negotiations with them to pay ransom or release some of their warriors.”
Olawuyi says Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has not been engaging with the families of the kidnapped boys.
“The latest information is that the president has not visited. Although he did sent a delegation consisting of senior military security personnel to visit the school and the town. The president is actually from Katsina and Daura his hometown is less than two hours’ drive from the kidnapping.”
The attack was initially blamed on armed groups locally known as “bandits”, who are active in the unstable region where kidnappings for ransom are common.
Listen to the interview with Damimola Olawuyi
0 Comments