By CHINONSO ALOZIE, Owerri

The leaders of Concerned Advocates for Good Governance, CAGG, have given President Muhammadu Buhari, seven days ultimatum to free all students abducted by bandits in some states of the northern part of Nigeria.

The leader of CAGG, Olusegun Bamgbose, the ultimatum to President Buhari, was contained in a statement to newsmen in Owerri.

They described the continued abduction of students as “Very sad and disheartening and that the total number of students being held hostage has increased to 348 with the latest abduction of 121 Students in Kaduna State, three categories numbering 227 are still languishing in bandits’ den many weeks after they were abducted from their schools in Niger, Kebbi and Kaduna State.

“In Niger State, not less than 136 pupils of Salihu Tanko Islamiya School, Tegina, were abducted on May 30 and they are yet to be released by their abductors. In Kebbi State, 83 students and 7 staff members of the Federal Government College, Birnin Yahuri are still in captivity of the bandits 19 days after the hoodlums abducted 94 students and 8 workers from the school.

“Things cannot continue this way. I feel for these innocent students, especially the female ones that could suffer sexual abuse. I believe the time to decisively act has come. We will give President Buhari just 7 days to secure the release of these 348 students held hostage by the bandits or we shall do everything humanly possible to get them out of the bandits’ cage.

“One can’t imagine what these students are passing through and even the parents. As a parent, I know what is it to have one of my children held. Enough is enough. The ultimatum ends on the 16th day of July. Whatever it takes, I want to inform the traumatized parents that their wards will soon regain freedom. Take me by my word.”

He cautioned that nobody should take their statement as a “political talk but a reality. We shall make wide consultations and get these students out soon. We shall involve the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, of which Yerima Shettima is the leader and also Coalition of South East East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, Goodluck Ibem and other stakeholders.

“All hands must be on deck to get these students released before the end of this month. Everyone should be concerned. There should be no atom of ethnic discrimination whatsoever. Yes, they are from the North, but they are Nigerians.

“The issue should not be tribe, but the country. I want to passionately urge the Buhari administration to ensure that these students regain freedom in the next 7 days. If this fails, we shall immediately swing into action to get them out of captivity,” CAGG said. (Vanguard)

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