School closure over insecurity shameful, says Galadima

Buba Galadima, a prominent member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, has denounced the closure of schools in certain regions of the North as a reaction to escalating insecurity, labeling the action as cowardly and a disgraceful failure of duty by the government.

During an appearance on the ARISE News program, Prime Time, on Monday, Galadima stated that the recent wave of mass abductions in Niger State and other northern areas serves as proof that the Federal Government has neglected to prioritize the safety of its citizens.

"In my view, the government has relinquished its fundamental duty of safeguarding the lives and properties of its citizens, dedicating 99 percent of its time to political maneuvering," he remarked.

He contended that closing schools should never be considered a viable solution, emphasizing that authorities should enhance the security of educational institutions instead of yielding them to criminal activities.

"Firstly, it is disgraceful to shut down schools—this reflects poorly on the government and authorities at all levels. Schools should not be closed. The appropriate action is to ensure their protection," he asserted.

Galadima cautioned that leaders are treating governance with a lack of seriousness, pointing out that those in power should be focusing nearly all their efforts on addressing insecurity.

"Leisure time should not exceed six hours. The rest must be dedicated to active governance. This is clearly lacking," he stated.

The NNPP chieftain further criticized the government's dependence on brute force without sufficient intelligence.

He remarked, "Those in positions of authority must engage their intellect and take necessary actions. They have attempted this 'gara gara', as I refer to it. It has proven ineffective. It is now imperative to utilize their intellect, leverage technology, and ensure the safety of our citizens."

He referenced an experience he had in China, where CCTV systems successfully tracked and recovered a stolen bag across two airports within hours, highlighting the stark contrast that indicates Nigeria's lack of commitment to effectively implementing technology.

“We are only interested in power to make money or to show you that I have arrived,” he said.

Galadima also claimed that security operatives had intelligence on the movement of bandits before the latest attack in Niger State but failed to act.

“Somebody was capturing them verbatim. He said they were going towards Yawuri or Ngaski. That is intelligence. The security should have moved quickly,” he added.

He berated soldiers deployed to the school for allegedly abandoning their duty post.

“Why did they leave the place? They should be court-martialled and be shot,” he said.

Galadima maintained that Nigeria’s security strategy was outdated and needed immediate overhaul.

“The president should forget about physical security. We have passed that stage. We have to use technology to detect things even before they happen, and set up special squads to deal with issues as they spring up in the next five minutes,” he said.

At least five northern states have closed schools in response to the worsening security situation, while several others have directed schools to shut their hostels and allow boarding students to return home.