…. Calls for rescue of kidnapped Air Force Squadron Leader, family
… Cautions against ethnic, religious profiling
The Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) has called on government at all levels to rise to the alarming spate of kidnapping in the country.
In a press statement signed on Friday, February 16, by its Amirah (President), Alhaja Rafiat Idowu-Sanni, the prominent faith-based organisation decried the resurgence of kidnapping across states of the country.
Alhaja Sanni, particularly, cited the recent abduction cases involving Najeebah and her sisters in Abuja, the nation’s capital; kidnapping and killings of traditional rulers in South West Nigeria and the abduction of a Nigerian Air Force officer, Squadron Leader Nurudeen Popoola along with his wife, Dr Ganiya Olawale-Popoola and their guest, Abdulmungiy Folaranmi in Kaduna, reiterating the need for the government to invigorate the security architecture in the country.
“Unlike the Najeebah and her sisters who were later released by their abductors after paying ransom, the Nigerian Air Force Officer and his family are still in the hands of his abductors, barely two months after the incident. The kidnappers broke into their home in Kaduna on December 27, 2023, and all efforts to get them released have proved abortive. We call on all relevant security agencies to do everything necessary to free them unharmed.
“As the leading Muslim women’s organisation in Nigeria, we condemn the incessant kidnapping of Nigerians, males and females, irrespective of their religions and tribes. We are deeply concerned about the alarming spate of kidnapping in the country in recent times. Abductors are striking across states with audacity.
“Shockingly, these criminals could go to any length to carry out their devilish acts. The government has a responsibility to protect its citizens, and it must wake up to this responsibility urgently. We pray to Allah to repose the soul of Nabeehah who was a victim of the unfortunate incident and other victims.
“FOMWAN advocates a proactive approach rather than a reactive approach to tackling the security challenges in the country. Our security agencies should do more to prevent criminals from having a foothold in the country. The government should, therefore, provide them with the required tools to aid their operations. We understand that security challenges are inevitable anywhere in the world. However, the increasing resurgence of kidnapping in the country calls for deep worries,” the statement read.
Alhaja Rafiat Idowu-Sanni charged the governors to live up to their billing as chief security officers, asking them to be responsible for the security votes they get.
“We believe that most of these security threats are best tackled at the grassroots. We need constitutional empowerment for state and local governments to fight the security threats peculiar to them.
“The state governors should live up to their billing as chief security officers. We wonder what they do with the security votes they get while criminal elements continue to ravage their domains. They should complement the effort of the federal government in waging war against criminal gangs. They must not allow them to get a foothold in their various states.
“The resurgence of kidnapping is particularly worrisome. Our governments should invest more in technology gadgets to aid the job of law enforcement agencies.”
FOMWAN, meanwhile added that recent revelations have indicated that criminal gangs spread across religions and tribes, cautioning against ethnic and religious profiling.
“We have seen all shades of tribes including the dominant ones Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa/Fulani apprehended as kidnap suspects. We must, therefore, shun ethnic and religious profiling and rather put the government on its toes and support our law enforcement agencies with relevant information.
“We cannot shy away from the urgent need to revitalise our security architecture. Similarly, the government should take social investment programmes and creation of wealth and enabling environment seriously as these efforts go a long way to disincentivise the criminal enterprise.”
