By George Mgbeleke <\/p>\n
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) expresses profound outrage and disappointment over the continued deterioration of security across the country, particularly the inability of the Federal Government and the affected state governments to secure the rescue of schoolchildren abducted from schools in Oyo and Borno States more than a month after they were taken away by terrorists and criminal elements.<\/p>\n
In a statement signed by National Coordinator, HURIWA,Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko,the continued captivity of these innocent children is a national tragedy, a humanitarian emergency, and a damning verdict on the effectiveness of Nigeria’s security architecture. It is heartbreaking that while parents, relatives and concerned Nigerians agonize daily over the fate of these young victims, those entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding lives and property appear unable to provide reassuring answers or tangible results.<\/p>\n
HURIWA is particularly disturbed that despite the alarming escalation of terrorist attacks, kidnappings, mass killings and violent assaults on communities across several parts of the country, the response of government has largely been characterized by official statements, public relations exercises and political rhetoric rather than visible and measurable outcomes.<\/p>\n
The association notes that the abduction of schoolchildren has become one of the most disturbing manifestations of Nigeria’s security crisis. Schools, which ought to be safe environments for learning and child development, have increasingly become soft targets for terrorists and criminal gangs. The inability of government to rescue the abducted children from Oyo and Borno States within a reasonable period sends a dangerous signal that criminal elements can operate with impunity while innocent citizens remain vulnerable.<\/p>\n
HURIWA recalls that since the inception of the current administration, Nigeria has witnessed repeated incidents of terrorist attacks, banditry, kidnappings for ransom, attacks on farming communities, assaults on security formations, and violent incursions into rural settlements. Thousands of Nigerians have either lost their lives, sustained injuries, been displaced from their homes or suffered economic ruin as a direct consequence of the worsening insecurity.<\/p>\n
Yet, despite these disturbing realities, not a single top security official has been held accountable for the repeated operational failures that have enabled terrorists and criminal gangs to continue their reign of terror. In functional democracies, persistent security failures attract consequences. Unfortunately, in Nigeria, accountability appears to be the missing link in the nation’s counterterrorism and internal security framework.<\/p>\n
HURIWA maintains that no counterterrorism strategy can succeed when there is no clear mechanism for measuring performance, identifying failures and imposing consequences where necessary. Security leadership must be judged not by promises and speeches but by outcomes. The continued escalation of attacks and the inability to rescue abducted schoolchildren raise legitimate concerns about the effectiveness of the current security management structure.<\/p>\n
The association therefore challenges the Federal Government to provide Nigerians with a comprehensive and transparent account of the security situation across the country. Government must disclose the number of citizens killed, kidnapped, injured and displaced by terrorists, bandits and other violent criminal groups since the present administration assumed office. Such information is essential for public accountability and informed national discourse.<\/p>\n
HURIWA also calls on the National Assembly to intensify its oversight responsibilities over the security sector. The legislature must ensure that funds appropriated for defence, intelligence gathering and internal security are effectively utilized and that security agencies are delivering value for the enormous public resources allocated to them.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, the association urges governors, particularly in states affected by insecurity, to stop treating security as the exclusive responsibility of the Federal Government. State authorities must strengthen intelligence gathering, community engagement and collaboration with federal security agencies to prevent further attacks and facilitate the rescue of abducted persons.<\/p>\n
HURIWA warns against attempts by government officials to politicize the security crisis or suppress legitimate public concerns. Insecurity is not a partisan issue. The lives of innocent Nigerians should never become subjects of political calculations or propaganda. What citizens demand are concrete actions, transparent leadership and demonstrable results.<\/p>\n
The association is particularly worried that the growing frequency of kidnappings is gradually transforming parts of the country into what may be described as a deadly ransom economy, where criminal enterprises thrive on the inability of government to effectively deter, apprehend and prosecute perpetrators. This dangerous trend threatens national stability, undermines public confidence and weakens Nigeria’s international reputation.<\/p>\n
HURIWA therefore demands the immediate intensification of efforts to rescue all abducted schoolchildren and other victims currently in captivity. The Federal Government must deploy every available technological, intelligence and operational resource to secure their safe return. Families of the victims deserve regular updates, while Nigerians deserve to know that government is treating the matter with the seriousness it requires.<\/p>\n
The association further calls for a comprehensive review of the nation’s security architecture, the establishment of clear performance benchmarks for security chiefs, and the institutionalization of accountability measures for operational failures. The protection of lives and property remains the primary constitutional responsibility of government, and no administration can claim success while citizens live in fear and schoolchildren remain in the hands of terrorists.<\/p>\n
Nigeria cannot continue to normalize mass abductions, terrorist attacks and widespread insecurity. The time for excuses has passed. The time for decisive, transparent and accountable leadership is now.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By George Mgbeleke The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) expresses profound outrage and disappointment over the continued deterioration of security across the country, particularly the inability of the Federal Government and the affected state governments to secure the rescue of schoolchildren abducted from schools in Oyo and Borno States more than a month […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":11875,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14750","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-law-crime"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14750","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14750"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14750\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14752,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14750\/revisions\/14752"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11875"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14750"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14750"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14750"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}