BEVERLY HILLS, December 14, (THEWILL) – Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Obadiah Mailafia has urged the Nigerian Army to stop making ‘reassuring noises’ and do everything possible to secure the release of the schoolboys abducted last Friday from the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State.
Unknown gunmen had on Friday night attacked Government Science Secondary School, Kankara and abducted hundreds of students.
The former CBN deputy governor described the incident as unfortunate, adding that bandits must be treated as terrorists because they are enemies of the state.
Mailafia, while on Arise TV, said “We’ve heard some reassuring noises from the Army, saying that they have zeroed down on the exact location of the bandits and where the children are being held.
“All those children must be brought back alive and brought back to their parents. This is not a time for braggadocio. This is not the time for machismo. This is the time to ensure that we bring them (the students) back safely.”
On the prospect of a negotiation with the bandits by the Governor Aminu Masari-led government, Mailafia said, “I don’t expect that the negotiations will be done in the open but a lot of underground work must be done and there must be enough inducement and enough of backups.”
Mailafia also advised the Federal Government to approach countries like Russia and Israel for support to combat terrorism and banditry in the country.
“I don’t know why we have not spoken to Russia. Russia’s Vladimir Putin has found a rigorous way of dealing with terrorists. Putin does not negotiate with terrorists. We should talk to Israel; we should talk to countries that have dealt with terrorism. We should talk to countries willing to help”, he said.
About the Author
