Senate Condemns Abduction of 87 Students in Nigeria

The Nigerian Senate condemned the abduction of 87 students and teachers across Borno and Oyo States, which occurred within a 24-hour period. Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central), the Senate leader, issued a statement highlighting the severity of the attacks, particularly given the historical context of the 30 million children raised globally in 2014 regarding school security.

The incidents included the abduction of 45 individuals from Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota community and 42 from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira Uba Local Government Area, Borno State. Bamidele, who is also the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee reviewing the 1999 Constitution, reinforced the need for state police and proposed measures to enhance school safety.

He warned against politicizing the issue and called for a strategic national approach to address the alarming trend of kidnappings, which negatively impacts national development. The Senate plans to resume discussions on constitutional amendments and the establishment of state police on June 2.