Given the escalating incidents of kidnapping and abduction nationwide, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, has called for a meeting with the Northern Governors’ Forum and Service Chiefs, which includes the Inspector General of Police and the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The closed-door meeting convened on Thursday in Abuja lasted for more than four hours. Following the meeting, Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, the chairman of the forum, addressed the media regarding its outcomes.
He disclosed the forum’s intention to explore alternative strategies to address the escalating insecurity in the north.
Additionally, the governor emphasized the forum’s commitment to supporting the military in their non-kinetic efforts to combat insurgency.
“The essence of the meeting as you can see is between the governors and the service chiefs and the NSA.
“So, it relates to security and you know security is very critical, especially since there were the recent issues of kidnapping in the North-West and we are becoming so concerned that we need to discuss, review, and possibly take alternative options to what we have been doing before so that we can have a better result,” he said.
The previous week, bandits kidnapped approximately 300 students from a school located in Kuriga, a town within the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
In a separate news briefing, the military pledged to rescue all abducted individuals.
Regarding the abduction of internally displaced persons in Gamboru-Ngala, Borno State, the military clarified that they had ventured beyond the permissible distance from the camp.
Additionally, Major General Edward Buba, the Director of Defence Media Operations, highlighted that delays in reporting such incidents impede swift responses from security agencies and other responders.