Abuja: Dr Jibrin Abubakar, a media and public relations expert, has urged the Federal Government to implement stronger measures to tackle the growing menace of school kidnappings across the country. Abubakar made the call after defending his 174-page PhD thesis on school kidnappings at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Abubakar emphasized the urgency for action beyond mere policy discussions and recommended the quick passage of the Nigeria Forest Security Service (NFSS) Bill to secure forests and ungoverned spaces that have become hideouts for bandits. He highlighted the need for the full implementation of the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools, noting that security measures must transition from theoretical frameworks to practical actions to protect children.
Abubakar advocated for a combination of security operations with non-kinetic approaches such as education, economic empowerment, and community engagement to reduce the attractiveness of banditry. He pointed out the alarming issue of porous borders leading to the unchecked proliferation of small arms and light weapons, which poses a serious threat to national security.
The media expert expressed concern over the increasing number of out-of-school children, warning that this could lead to future insecurity if not addressed. He suggested that the grievances and motivations of violent groups should be closely examined to design interventions informed by the Social Contract Theory and the Greed and Grievance Framework.
Abubakar also recommended regulating sermons that could incite extremism, emphasizing that unchecked radicalisation remains a significant security risk. He urged the government to adopt a strategy of leadership decapitation, targeting the top commanders of Boko Haram, ISWAP, and armed bandit groups, to disrupt their operational capacity.
Finally, Abubakar called for a collaborative approach, highlighting that achieving safe schools and communities requires collective efforts from the government, communities, NGOs, the private sector, and international partners.