The National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NAN, has condemned the abduction of 105 female students of Government Science Technical School, Dapchi, Yobe State, describing the victims as scapegoats.
The organisation which specifically threatened to resist every attempt to make students scapegoats, however warned that the Dapchi abduction saga “should not be a cover up” on the long awaited return of the remaining female students of Government Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State.
The President of NANS, Chinonso Obasi, who conveyed these feelings in a statement on Monday in Abuja, challenged the security agencies to team up and ensure the rescue of the girls.
According to him, NANS would join in efforts at seeing to the safe return of the Dapchi girls.
The association expressed surprise why the girls should be made scapegoats of total neglect of the education sector by successive governments.
Mr Obasi said: “The psychology of the Nigerian people, particularly students was once again tested by terrorists when another criminal abduction was carried out on innocent school girls.
“We condemn this act of abduction of innocent Nigerian students who, in their quest for the acquisition of knowledge for self and national development, is daily threatened by insurgents.
“We are pained by the near total neglect of the education sector by successive governments at all levels leading to this unbearable terrorism.
“It is unfortunate, barbaric and wicked of insurgents to resort to abduction of students who have no hand in the sorry state we all have found ourselves as a people and nation.
“Making students scapegoats is what cannot be justified. For what reason and what intent? As a progressive movement, NANS will resist further attempts to make students scapegoats. That cannot continue!
“Much as we appreciate military onslaughts against insurgency in the North East, we feel the sense of urgency to resist attempts at making the students scapegoats.
“We have consistently been advocating, protesting and even persuading governments at all levels to reverse, with alacrity, the worsening conditions of our schools and take the welfare of the future leaders paramount as a deliberate measure to safeguard our nation from disastrous consequences.
“We unreservedly call on all security forces to join efforts at rescuing the abducted Dapchi girls in Yobe. Every second that passes with the girls in the hands of the terrorists is an unfathomable torture on Nigerians.
“Let everyone be informed; NANS is hereby declaring its intention to join efforts at seeing to the safe return of the Dapchi girls.
“We join the parents of the abducted school girls in prayers and urge the Federal and Yobe state government and all men of good conscience to rise up in defence of Nigerian students.
“The Yobe State abduction should not be a cover up on the long awaited Chibok girls.”
