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Arewa Forum To Zamfara Gov: Reveal Abductors Of Jangebe Students Or Else…
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has warned Bello Matawalle, governor of Zamfara, against shielding those behind the abduction of 279 students in the state.
Recall that rampaging bandits had stormed Jangebe in Talata Mafara Local government area of the state, attacked the Government Girls Secondary School in the town and kidnapped the schoolgirls.
The students were released on Tuesday after protracted negotiations.
Matawalle had on Sunday said Nigerians would be confounded when he disclosed the identities of the people behind the abduction.
He had also alleged that some persons attempted to sabotage and undermine efforts to release the schoolgirls.
Reacting to the governor’s comments, the ACF said Matawalle must divulge the name of those behind the recent abduction or be treated as an accomplice.
In a statement by Audu Ogbe, the forum said it was shocked by the governor’s remarks, calling on security agencies to interrogate him on the identities of the criminals “he is trying to hide”.
“We also ask the security agencies to question the governor on the identifies of the criminals he is trying to hide. If he refuses to disclose their identities, he must be treated as an accomplice to the criminal act of kidnapping,” the statement read.
The forum said it’s appalled by the gale of abduction, noting that influential persons like governor Matawalle who should know better is the one making unguarded remarks that humiliate the north.
It added that Zamfara and the entire north were already educationally handicapped and the recent developments would only aggravate the dispiriting and deplorable state of education in the troubled region.
“The ACF has been embarrassed by the spate of kidnappings especially of school children spreading like wildfire all over the north. People in positions of authority that will help us out of this mess like Governor Matawalle must stop embarrassing the north and country with careless statements on a serious issue like the kidnappings of school children.
“Zamfara State and the north are way behind the rest of the country in educational development. The serial kidnappings of school pupils in the north will only worsen a bad and unacceptable state of education in the North.”
The forum also expressed concern over the decision of the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers Association (AUFCDA) to stop the movement of food items from the north to the south.
According to the forum, the action will further complicate the socio-economic and political problems bedevilling Nigeria.
“We call on the leadership of the union to put a halt to their so-called embargo & blockade. Nigeria is not at war with itself and such drastic action is not necessary,” the statement read.
“We believe that whatever may be the difficulties of their members in operating in other parts of the country, ACF leadership led by me is willing to help them solve these by talking to security agencies and the government.”
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