World

Nigeria Announces National Emergency Over Surge in Kidnappings

Bola Tinubu, the President of Nigeria has declared a ‘nationwide security emergency’ on Wednesday. President Bola Tinubu declared the ‘nationwide security emergency’ all because they are rushing to deal with a sudden rise of mass kidnapping where hundreds of people have been taken. The hundreds of people who have been kidnapped are school children and they were kidnapped within a single week.

The President of Nigeria made it clear in a statement that ” This is a national emergency, and we responding by sending more officers to the area to help, especially in security challenge areas.” The assailants across the country kidnapped dozen muslim school girls, 38 worshippers, more than 300 school children and teachers from a catholic, 13 young women and girls walking near a farm, and another 10 women and children. a lot of people have been rescued and others has also escaped. Again 255 children and teachers who were seized from a catholic boarding school in the country’s Niger State on Friday are missing. The President stated that ”I have decided to declare a nationwide security emergency and other additional recruitment into the Armed Forces in view of the emerging security situation.”

President Tinubu asked the police VIP bodyguards to move to a new location and perform their core policy duties. He again ordered the hiring of another 50,000 police recruits. As per the European Union for Asylum (EUAA), over 100,000 of the estimated 371,000 strong forces were previously assigned to protect politicians and VIPs. Alongside, a conflict that has lasted 16 years with armed extremist groups in the North East has made Nigeria to struggle with ongoing security issues and frequent kidnappings for ransom. Nigeria’s first major school abduction gained global attention in 2014.

This was when the jihadist group Boko Haram kidnapped 276 teenage girls in Chibok, in North East, causing global concern and strong reactions. The gangs have camps in a wide forest straddling several states including Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto, Kebbi and Niger from where they launch attacks.

President Tinubu said he was also authorising the intelligence department to ”immediately” deploy forest guards to ”drive out the criminals hiding in our forest” as well as to hire more staff to patrol them. President Tinubu said that ” The times required all hands on deck.” He vowed to continue ”efforts to rescue” the students and other people still being held.