Following the Sunday mid-night attach by unknown gunmen at the College of Agriculture, Gujba, Yobe State, which resulted in the death of over fifty (50) students and seven (7) teachers; Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), observes as follows:
1. In recent times, Yobe State has witnessed series of brutal attacks by unknown gunmen targeting students; women, aged citizens, people with the disability and other innocent Nigerians just as no fewer than twenty two (22) students and a teacher were reportedly killed at Government Secondary School, Mamudo, previously.
2. Following the attacks launched on students, innocent travellers on Damaturu-Maiduguri Road were also ambushed, attacked and killed; revealing the level of weakness in the state security situation.
3. Persistent devious attacks on students negatively affects the future of the country and saps Nigeria of priceless human resources.
4. The insurgents have hidden under the ongoing ethno-religious struggles in the country and particularly the weaknesses of internal security in Nigeria and Yobe and Borno States in particular, to successfully perpetuate baseless attacks on innocent and defenselesscitizens.
5. The family and relatives of the victims have been thrown into terrible pains, emotional trauma, and sorrowful experience by the armed insurgents.
6. The nonchalant attitude of the Federal government towards the security situation in the country has sent a wrong signal to ethnic-religious terrorist militias thereby setting a regrettable precedence.
7. The absence of a National Policy on Counter insurgency and counterterrorism in Nigeria makes it difficult to deal with insurgency.
CISLAC RECOMMENDES AS FOLLOWS:
1. Immediate step and strategic effort by security agencies to halt the senseless killing of defenseless citizens should be provided by relevant authorities.
2. Government should immediately step up security situation in Yobe and Borno States and indeed in all the States, especially at various educational institutions, places of worship and markets to prevent further attack on innocent lives.
3. Government should take asa matter of priority maximum safety of lives and property of the citizens.
4. Government in collaboration with security agencies should ensure that the perpetrators of such outrageous attacks against innocent students are apprehended and brought to justice, as they are proven enemies to peace, unity and development of the country.
5. The effective management of the College administrators should be immediately questioned for it has hesitated to act promptly on the early warning alert by the insurgents.
6. Immediate action should be taken to ensure maximum protection for ‘whistle blowers’ against insurgents and their hideouts in the state.
7. CISLAC and Pan-African Strategic and Policy Research Centre(PANAFSTRAC) offer to support government to draft a National policy on counter Insurgency and Counterterrorism in Nigeria
CISLAC therefore expresses itsheartfelt condolence to the families and relatives of the victims.
Signed:
Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani)
Executive Director,
CISLAC