Anti-terrorism group reacts to release of abducted Kankara students on Buhari’s birthday

The Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism (CATE) has described the release of the abducted students of the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara Katsina State as heartwarming and cheering.

CATE noted that the freedom of the schoolboys shows President Muhammadu Buhari’s versatility in leadership, expertise in security matters and seriousness in achieving his promise of securing the lives and property of citizens.

Recall that the presidency had confirmed the freedom of the boys Thursday night after days in captivity, which coincides with the birthday of President Buhari.

Reacting to the development, the anti-terrorism group in a statement through its National Coordinator, Gabriel Onoja, called on the Nigerian government to continue to rally round the federal government and the security agencies to work for the peace and progress of the county.

He said their freedom is, “highly commendable and reassuring coming on the heels of similar unresolved incidences that have left permanent scars on the nation due to the shoddy way they were handled by past administrations.

“The development coming less than a week after the boys were abducted, shows President Muhammadu Buhari’s versatility in leadership, expertise in security matters and seriousness in achieving his promise of securing the lives and property of citizens.

“It is heartwarming to note that since the boys were abducted, the President who was supposed to be in vacation in his hometown of Daura did not go to sleep, but continued to work round the clock until the proper coordinates were put in place for the rescue of the boys.

“Security images showing the abducted boys on their way home hale and hearty just a few days after their abduction have been received with joy by majority of Nigerians and the jubilation has been second to none.

“But President Buhari, who has shown commitment in the undertaking he gave Nigerians on security, has working quietly with the armed forces and security agencies, created the right atmosphere that finally led to the rescue of the boys.

“We note that shortly after the abduction of the boys became public knowledge, the service chiefs moved to Katsina to work on the best strategies for the safe return of the boys.

“We believe it was these concerted and coordinated efforts that made it possible for the security agencies to gain ground and sustain the tempo that eventually led to the release of the boys.

“This is highly commendable as it would serve a serious warning to bandits and terrorists that the government would no longer tolerate such acts and that the government is capable of foiling any attempt to put the lives of innocent citizens in danger.

“Also commendable is the fact that the releases are done without exposing the victims to harm under zero casualty rate.

“At the first quarter of the year, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai had to relocate to the theatre of war in Borno State and did not come back until the insurgents were substantially degraded.

“The Nigerian Military have within the year liquidated a high number of terrorists in their bases in the Northeast, arrested many of their informants and captured quite a number of their weapons that a time the leader of the Boko Haram terrorists, Abubakar Shekau was contemplating surrender.”