This was made known in a statement signed by Prof Doknan Sheni, the NEF Director General, while affirming that the forum remains unwavering in its determination to secure the release of all those still in captivity and the speedy return of peace and stability to the North and Nigeria as a whole.
The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has called on the President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government to free the country’s secondary schools, colleges of higher learning and universities, in the region from hordes of bandits, hardened criminals, violent kidnappers and marauding hoodlums.
This was made known in a statement signed by Prof Doknan Sheni, the NEF Director General, while affirming that the forum remains unwavering in its determination to secure the release of all those still in captivity and the speedy return of peace and stability to the North and Nigeria as a whole.
The statement read in part; "Northern Elders Forum (NEF), hereby joins the many voices of concerned Nigerians, to strongly register our heightened sense of collective anguish, at the alarming spates of audacious incursions into our secondary schools, colleges of higher learning and universities, by hordes of bandits, hardened criminals, violent kidnappers and marauding hoodlums.
"Nearly a decade since the commando -like mass kidnappings of Chibok girls in Borno State, the specter of this wanton act of criminality, is earily assuming a much more frightening dimension.
"While the pains and sense of loss at the woeful failure of the government to rescue many of the Chibok girls from captivity have continued to add more misery to our forlorn lives, the recent highly disturbing news of yet another audacious kidnapp ing of about 46 girls from the Federal University of Gusau, in Zamfara state, clearly leaves a sour taste in the mouth.
"This violent assault on the female hostel of the federal university in Gusau, the sprawling capital of Zamfara state, is remarkably taking place against the background of similar violent attacks in Depchi, which also resulted in sad loss of precious lives, serious injuries and the kidnapping of a number of law abiding students, most of them girls in their early teens.
"It is now pretty obvious, that, the alarming rates, frequency and relative ease, with which these bunch of criminals are able to carry out these dastardly criminal acts, are indicative of gross security lapses and intolerable negligence on the side of our security operatives and even the law enforcement officials.
"We find it difficult to believe, that at a time when government is proudly beating its chest, that new fighting equipment’s, protection kits and tactical assault helicopters have since been adequately provided, in order to boost the dwindling morale and combat readiness of our gallant forces, these handful of very cowardly criminals, are seemingly being allowed everywhere, in both urban and the rural North, to operate so freely.
"Nigerians in general and the people of Northern Nigeria in particular, have over the years, seen their lives and businesses cruelly ravaged by mounting insecurity, which is characterized by religious insurgencies, banditry, herders -farmers feuds and violent kidnappings.
“The cumulative adverse effects of these societal ills on the relative state of stability, strong social cohesion and the future economic prosperity of the North, have been well documented elsewhere, to really belabor us here.
“Suffice it to say, that, while we in the NEF feel enormously encouraged by the good news of the recent timely rescue of some of the kidnapped Gusau girls by our gallant soldiers, notably following the order given by His Excellency, president Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we in NEF, shall remain unwavering in our determination to secure the release of all those still in captivity and the speedy return of peace and stability to the North and Nigeria as a whole.
"Towards this end, we wish to reaffirm our unqualified sympathy and shared concerns with the parents and families of the victims of this inhuman act.
"The Forum also call on the federal, states and local governments to forge a strong collaboration aimed at creating a more holistic, robust and enduring security system which is anchored on activating local vigilance, empowerment and fair and effective service delivery to all citizens.
"NEF also strongly recommends that given the overwhelming cases of bad elements hibernating and nesting in the existing security system, there is an urgent need for government to, on a continuous basis, fish out and administer severe punishment on all those caught red handed collaborating with the cowardly bandits and also criminally fostering their many nefarious kidnapping escapades in our peace -loving nation," the statement added.