The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr Boss Mustapha, has vowed that Nigeria will not be surrendered to terrorists causing havocs in some parts of the country.
Rather, Boss Mustapha said that a global approach with effective protective measures will be deployed to confront the menace of the terrorists and bandits.
The SGF spoke on Tuesday evening in Abuja as a Special Guest of Honour at the Peace Walk Against Incessant Invasion and kidnappings of students in the educational institutions.
The peace walk round some streets in Abuja was put together by the Peace Corps of Nigeria PCN in collaboration with African Union and other stakeholders to re-awake the consciousness of Nigerians to the menace of bandits.
Boss Mustapha, whose speech was delivered by the Director of Nigeria National Volunteer Services in the SGF office, Mrs Olusola Aina appealed to well meaning Nigerians to collaborate with the federal government and its security agencies in the fight against terrorism and banditry.
He noted with regret that a staggering 10.5 million school children have been forced out of schools by bandits in addition to several schools already shut to prevent their students from being kidnapped massively for ransom reasons.
Specifically, the SGF noted that the Northeast region of the country has been worst hit by insecurity challenges adding that the situation has been compounded because the region had been noted for low school enrolment before the banditry.
He pleaded with Nigerians not to wait until they fall victims before rising to the challenge adding that an injury to one should be considered as injury to all.
“We must not allow bandits and terrorists threaten our unity. Safe school initiative of the federal government will be strengthened to safeguard our children in their schools.
Earlier, the National Commandant of the Corps Ambassador Dickson Akoh had noted that 1179 school children were abducted in the recent past by bandits in various schools.
Akoh said that his organization is worried about the development because the targets of the bandits initially were politicians and captains of industries for ransom reasons before it was shifted to innocent school children.
