Residents of Gandu neighborhood, which homes no fewer than 6,000 college students of the Federal College of Lafia, together with residents of the area people, have been thrown into confusion and panic following a threatening letter allegedly written to the neighborhood by bandits.
In accordance with sources, the authors of the letter threatened that their subsequent kidnapped victims could be killed as a result of they (bandits) had been now not considering asking for ransom from kinfolk of their victims.
Northern PUNCH had reported that between the months of October and December 2023, as many as twelve college students of the college had been kidnapped by the unknown gunmen who usually carried out their actions unhindered.
This serial kidnapping prompted the greater than 500 college students to start out a peaceable protest and demand an finish to the bloodbath.
The scholars wielding placards with numerous inscriptions corresponding to “Our lives are in peril”, “Day by day kidnappings torment us”, “We want safety”, occupied the federal street in Lafia for a number of hours till a detachment of safety personnel was deployed to disperse the folks to conduct. them utilizing tear fuel.
Northern PUNCH additional realized that the threatening letter from the bandits was additionally a serious supply of concern for the administration of the Federal College of Lafia, which has since organized a number of conferences to make sure that the communities surrounding the varsity are protected for the scholars who would enter the varsity to renew. later this month (January).
The event has additionally led to an pressing safety assembly, which was chaired by the college's Vice Chancellor, Educational Affairs, Professor Aleruchi Chukwu.
Our correspondent additional gathered that the DVC Educational Affairs, throughout the assembly, urged stakeholders to work in the direction of bettering peace and safety within the space by designing a wide-ranging safety motion plan for the college and its neighboring communities.
Whereas emphasizing the significance of joint efforts amongst stakeholders, Prof. Chukwu additionally urged residents to be vigilant and contribute to the college's efforts to offer a conducive and crime-free atmosphere for efficient instructing and studying.
In his comment, the chairman of the assembly and the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Analysis and Partnerships of FULafia, Prof. Samaila Dakyes, mentioned the essence of holding the security assembly was to make sure the security and safety of lives and properties of scholars and residents of the communities surrounding the college.
Of their separate speeches, stakeholders famous that securing the lives and properties of scholars and folks residing throughout the college neighborhood have to be a collective duty.
They, subsequently, referred to as on neighborhood leaders to be vigilant and cooperate with safety businesses by offering well timed info that would tackle safety threats of their domains.
Talking on the growing insecurity within the space, Comrade Ibrahim Ogabo Ismaila, the Authorities Chairman of the College students Union, burdened the necessity for concrete motion by the federal government to forestall future kidnappings, armed robberies and different incidents. vices throughout the communities surrounding the academic establishment.
Ogabo mentioned: “The safety operatives ought to focus extra on blocking main entry factors into Gandu neighborhood and different communities within the space.
“Securing these few roads would go a good distance in tackling the issue of insecurity, which is now changing into a major problem.”
On his half, the District Head of Gandu Neighborhood, Abdullahi Mohammed, who refused to talk on the bandits' threatening letter, expressed deep concern over the rising insecurity within the space.
He, subsequently, referred to as on the state authorities to urgently intervene within the matter by establishing a police station and deploying navy personnel in the neighborhood.
In a bid to deal with the prevailing insecurity plaguing the state, the present administration has put aside the sum of N500 million within the 2024 funds for the availability and set up of electrical energy tools and closed circuit tv in Lafia, the state capital.
Northern PUNCH studies that other than the Federal College of Lafia, the state-owned Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic, Lafia, has additionally suffered a collection of assaults by which college students had been kidnapped for ransom.
Whereas briefing residents on the efforts being made by the federal government to decisively deal with insecurity within the state, the Commissioner for Finance, Finances and Planning, Munirah Abdullahi, burdened that the state authorities has acquired CCTV cameras to reinforce safety within the state capital to enhance.
“The machine would help the operations of the safety forces in arresting robbers and different felony components within the state capital,” she added.
On the time of submitting this report, efforts to get the response from the Nasarawa State Police Command proved abortive because the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ramhan Nansel, didn’t reply to calls and messages despatched to his cellular traces despatched.
