The National Association of Seadogs (NAS), otherwise known as 'Pyrates Confraternity' has called on President Bola Tinubu to overhaul the nation's security architecture, for it to actively respond to series of kidnapping across the country.
NAS, made the call, while reacting to the recent kidnap of no fewer than 287 pupils and teachers of Government Secondary School and LEA Primary School, Kuriga, Chikum Local Government Area and about 400 women and children from Babban Sansani, Zulum and Arabic Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Gamboru Ngala, in Kaduna and Borno States respectively.
The association, in a statement signed by Capoon Abiola Owoaje, and made available to newsmen in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital,
condemned the kidnappings, urging the President to nip the menace of insecurity in the bud as he promised in his inaugural speech on May 29.
Owoaje said, "Nigerians could not afford to endure another episodes of serial abductions after eight years of heart rending killings and kidnappings under former President Muhammadu Buhari, asking President Tinubu not to handle insecurity with kids gloves like his predecessor did, where over 15, 597 Nigerians were abducted under his government.
He said, "the President should be worried that his efforts to bring down kidnapping and terrorism was not yielding desired results, as citizens were made to go through harrow experience of abduction, insisting that Tinubu must face the criminals making government ungovernable through kidnapping and killing of innocent Nigerians".
The association, while commending the decision North-West governors to tackle insecurity in their region, with the launch of 'Protection guards' enjoined other states ravaged by banditry to follow suit before the official take-off of the State Police.
The statement reads, "This depressing state of Nigeria’s security architecture has been further accentuated when another 15 students were abducted in Gidan Bakuso, Gada Local Government Area of Sokoto State. Undoubtedly, these brazen acts by criminal elements less than a month after pupils and teachers of Apostolic Faith Group of Schools were kidnapped in Emure-Ekiti, Ekiti State is an indictment on Nigerian security agencies and the Federal Government of Nigeria."
"Sadly, Nigerians are experiencing a sense of déjà vu with the plethora of abductions under the Tinubu Presidency. While Nigeria’s security agencies had recorded success in its onslaught against insurgents in the recent past, such successes are being diminished with the unconscionable abduction of children and helpless victims of terror."
"President Tinubu should be worried that his directive for terror to be eliminated is having no effect. As the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, he should be concerned that criminal elements operating on multiple fronts are making a mockery of his authority as President over ineffective directives that have so far been unable to stem the tide of kidnappings and terror attacks."
"We demand a master plan from the President and his security team on ways they intend to keep the country safe. His current handling of security challenges is not putting enough heat on criminal elements".
"There is an urgent need for the Tinubu administration to change tactics. Now is the time for the Tinubu Presidency to unbundle Nigeria’s policing system. It is crystal clear that the current centrally controlled Police with 371,000 personnel can no longer serve the purpose of protecting Nigerians".
"President Tinubu working in collaboration with the National Assembly should speed up the amendment of the Constitution to create State Police. The creation of State Police with locals who are familiar with the people at the community level and terrain would ensure efficiency in intelligence gathering to prevent crime before they happen or a swift response if it occurs."
"Nigeria’s justice system should be revamped to fast track prosecution of suspects arrested for kidnapping and other terror related offences. Government, security agencies and Civil society must at all levels desist from recruiting negotiators to engage kidnappers thereby legitimising an abominable enterprise, it added.
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