Group urges FG, states to address kidnappings in Northern institutions

The Coalition of Northern Groups Student Wing (CNG-SW) has expressed concern over the insecurity in learning institutions in the region.

According to the group, the Northern Students are deeply concerned with the high rate of insecurity on our campuses, including, kidnaping and banditry attacks on campuses because it is affecting academic life in institutions in the north.

The National Coordinator of the newly inaugurated executive of CNG-SW, Hassan Adamu said at a press conference in kaduna on Tuesday, that “students have continued to suffer from psychological disorders and kidnapping anxiety as a result of either being a victim of kidnapping or having loved one kidnapped or lost someone dear to kidnapping activities or the fear of been kidnapped.”

“We welcome with great joy the release of the Benue State medical students from captivity. We call on relevant agencies to provide all the students with adequate psychological and medical healthcare.”

“We call on the president to revisit the approach and reform the security architecture of the Nation; we will no longer tolerate flimsy excuses and the blame game. We also request for the deployment of troops to all campuses to ease the anxiety among students.”

He also called on the President, Bola Tinubu “to do everything possible to avert any form of industrial action in our tertiary institutions. He must ensure that we don’t go back to those days of having spent 7 years on a 4-year course.”

The student body of CNG further urged the Government to immediately resolve the effects of hunger and poverty in Nigeria, saying, “Hyperinflation, which is a result of the exchange rate policy, has multiplied the price of learning materials by 300%, as many students can’t afford essential textbooks; It is so bad that most students can’t afford a square meal a day.”

Adamu said “The increase in electricity tariff has compounded the problem on most of our campus. Almost all our campuses are left blackout as a result of the inability of the management to settle electricity bills.”

He added that “the increasing cost of PMS is quite alarming, which has led to a hike in transportation. The federal government has failed to fulfil its promises of donating CNG buses to schools.

“The effect of the aforementioned is underachievement. This is all coming at the eve when northern tertiary institutions are breaking ground in inventions and innovation.”