The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, RULAAC, has commended the security agencies and all those whose efforts contributed to the safe release of the two female students of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri. FUTO, who were abducted during the recent incident on campus.
RULAAC’s commendation was contained in statement signed by its Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma.
RULAAC said the safe return of the abducted students was a welcome relief to their families, fellow students and the entire university community, but insisted the incident should not be treated as an isolated case.
“However, this latest incident must not be treated as an isolated occurrence or allowed to fade from attention simply because the students have regained their freedom.
“It is another disturbing confirmation of the growing security threats within FUTO and its surrounding communities, which have increasingly exposed students, staff and other residents engaged in legitimate activities to kidnapping, violent crime and other forms of insecurity,” RULAAC said.
Expressing concern over the laxity of security at FUTO, RULAAC called for reassessment of security in the institution.
“The fact that armed criminals could operate within the university environment, fatally shoot a visitor and abduct students should compel a comprehensive reassessment of the security architecture protecting the institution and its environs.
“RULAAC therefore calls on the Imo State Government, the Nigeria Police Force, other relevant security agencies, FUTO management and the surrounding host communities to develop a coordinated and sustained security strategy for the area,” the organisation said.
RULAAC further said special security attention should be given to the Ihiagwa, Eziobodo, Nekede, Obinze and adjoining corridors, adding that it should go beyond temporary patrols following each incident.
“Intelligence-led operations should identify, dismantle and flush out criminal networks and their hideouts, while improved surveillance, lighting, access control, emergency communication systems and community-based intelligence gathering should form part of a permanent security framework.
“At the same time, security operations must be professional and intelligence-driven so that innocent students, residents and other law-abiding people are not subjected to indiscriminate harassment, extortion or profiling in the name of combating crime.
“The ultimate objective must be to make FUTO and its surrounding communities safe enough for students to pursue their education and for residents to go about their legitimate activities without living under the constant fear of kidnapping or violent attack.
“The rescue of the abducted students is commendable. The more important task now is to ensure that the criminal networks responsible for these attacks are identified, apprehended and brought to justice, and that effective preventive measures are put in place so that such incidents do not continue to recur,” RULAAC stressed.
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