Sad our children now pawn in deadly ransom economy — Peter Obi

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has again decried the deteriorating security situation in the country, describing as sad the fact that Nigerian schoolchildren are being turned into pawns in the emerging deadly ransom economy created by bandits.

The former two-term governor of Anambra State lamented the situation in a statement he issued on his X handle on Wednesday.

Obi said: “It’s heartbreaking to report yet another bandit attack in a school, three weeks after over 40 school children and their teachers are still languishing in the forest.

“The security situation in Kogi State shows a brutal bandit attack at the Government Secondary School, Iluke (Kabba-Bunu LGA). Armed bandits disguised in military uniforms invaded the school during an ongoing WAEC examination, killing the Vice Principal, Mr Gani Anifowose, two others and attempting a mass abduction of students.

“Reports on the ground indicate that some local security forces and vigilantes actively pushed back and frustrated their abduction attempts.

“Making educational institutions a soft target is a direct assault on the nation’s future. 

“It creates a psychological barrier to school enrollment that worsens Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis, disproportionately forcing young girls out of formal education permanently due to fear. 

“There is nothing more heartbreaking for a nation than an inability to protect its children.

“My heartfelt condolences go to the family of the Vice Principal who lost his life while gallantly defending children entrusted to his care. 

“May God grant his soul eternal repose.”