Kidnap or Rumour — Both Kill the School

 


When insecurity lasts more than 24 hours, ask who benefits. A quote widely attributed to General Sani Abacha already points us toward the question.

The Edo State Police Command's press release says a lot, perhaps without intending to.

The police arrested Ernest Ugbomoiko, 42, for allegedly spreading false reports of the kidnapping of students in Afuze, Ehor, Otuo, Agbede, and Igueben. Commissioner of Police Monday Agbonika insists that no child was abducted and that schools remain safe.

But here is the question nobody seems to be asking:

Why did people believe him?


Inaction Breeds Rumour

When security agencies and government fail to curb the kidnapping of schoolchildren, a vacuum is created. Into that vacuum flow rumours, speculation, and misinformation. False alarms spread faster than official statements.

Kidnapping is real. Rumour-mongering is real.

Attempts to exploit insecurity for political, economic, or criminal gain are even more dangerous.


The Chibok Precedent

The Chibok schoolgirls. 2014. The world watched.

Two hundred and seventy-six girls were abducted. Some never returned. A dangerous precedent was set: schools became perceived as soft targets.

The years that followed brought further tragedies and attacks Dapchi, Kankara, Kaduna, and Zamfara. The list continues to shame us.


The 24-Hour Test

A statement widely attributed to General Sani Abacha says:

"When insecurity lasts more than 24 hours, know that the government is involved."

Whether one agrees with the statement or not, it raises an uncomfortable question.

Kidnappings and attacks on communities have become recurring national concerns. Criminal groups terrorize villages, extort residents, and disrupt education. The persistence of insecurity fuels public suspicion and erodes confidence in institutions.

If government cannot end these threats quickly, Nigerians will continue to ask difficult questions about accountability, effectiveness, and who benefits from prolonged instability.


CampusDialog Position: Stop Playing Politics with Insecurity

Nigerians and indeed the government must stop treating insecurity and kidnapping as political talking points. This is not a game.

1. Rumour Is a Symptom

People spread fake kidnapping stories because real kidnapping stories have become common. Address the reality, and the rumours will lose their power.

2. Security Memos Cannot Sleep

The Ibileye 24-Hour Rule should apply to security briefings as well. If an intelligence report about a threat to a school remains unattended for 24 hours on the desk of a Commissioner of Police, DPO, or Governor, that officer has failed in their duty.

3. Incompetence Must Not Be Excused

A state that can mobilize security resources quickly during elections should be able to respond with equal urgency to threats against schools and communities.

4. Name the Saboteurs

Whether it is Ernest Ugbomoiko allegedly spreading false information or any official concealing critical facts, both actions undermine public trust and endanger the learning environment.


Secure the Gate, Secure the Future

We have built classrooms. We have renovated buildings. We have developed administrative procedures.

None of it matters if a mother keeps her daughter at home because she does not trust the school gate.

The confidence of parents rests on safe schools not on press releases, denials, or the arrest of rumour peddlers while criminals remain at large.

End the kidnappings. End the rumours. End the excuses.

The ultimate test of leadership is not what is said at a press conference. It is whether citizens can live, learn, and work in safety.

Nigeria cannot afford to fail that test.



Ambrose Odiase, FIPMA, MANUPA, MAUA (UK)
Founding Editor/Publisher, CampusDialog.blogspot.com

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