Nigerians in Americas Demand Effective Security Measures to End Kidnappings, Other Criminalities
Nigerians living in the Americas have called on the federal government to adopt effective measures to halt the pervasive insecurity plaguing the country.
They made the call under the aegis of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) Americas in a statement jointly issued by the Board of Trustees (BoT) and Board of Directors (BoD).
In the statement signed by the quartet of Bukola Olaoye, NIDOA BoT; Chika Emmanuel, NIDOABrazil BoD; Lillian Alli-Balogun,
NIDOA-Canada; and Collins Ikegwuonu, NIDOA-USA; the group said nothing should be spared to extricate Nigeria from the grips of insecurity.
The organisation commended the Nigerian government and its security agencies for the rescue of the 137 pupils and students kidnapped from schools in Kuriga, Kaduna State on March 7, 2024, 17 days after their abduction.
“While we commend this swift action, it’s imperative to recognise that the issue of insecurity in Nigeria extends beyond isolated incidents and deserves broader attention,” the group said.
It pointed out that the kidnapping of the school children got global attention due to the “significant media coverage given to the incident,” adding that it was “just one example of the pervasive insecurity plaguing Nigeria”.
NIDOA, which represents Nigerians living in the US, Canada, Brazil, and Belize, noted that countless private citizens had fallen victim to kidnappings without attracting the same level of public attention as the mass abductions.
The organisation stated that kidnappings usually result in loss of lives, shattered families, and exorbitant payment of ransoms, hence the “urgent need for comprehensive security measures” to checkmate the perpetrators.
It also lamented the insecurity situation in the farmlands, which has “worsened food insecurity threatening the livelihoods of farmers and exacerbating the already dire economic situation.”
NIDOA insisted that the killing of farmers and destruction of farmlands “cannot be overlooked in our discussion of Nigeria’s security challenges” and should also receive urgent action.