The Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, on Monday, led a high-powered delegation of the Green Chamber on a visit to Kebbi State in solidarity with the people and the government over the abduction of students of the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School (GGCSS) in Maga area of the state.
At the meeting were several leaders in the House as well as members of the Kebbi State Executive Council and the State House of Assembly.
This is just as the Speaker announced a donation of N20 million to the family of the slain Vice-Principal, Hassan Makuku, while urging Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State to immortalise the late teacher by naming the school after the official.
Bandits had on penultimate Sunday night stormed the school, located in the Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, and kidnapped about 25 students. They also killed the vice principal who attempted to stop them.
The Speaker said, “I want to seize this opportunity as well to appreciate the role of the vice-principal of the school where the incident took place; the heroic conduct that he displayed, which caused his death, to say this is somebody who has actually died in active service, and what he did is an example of what each public servant is supposed to do—to die for a cause. This is a man who died trying to shield the students from the kidnappers.
“We want to seize this opportunity to pray for him, for Almighty Allah to grant him Al-Jannah Firdaus. We also want to implore His Excellency to set an example of this man, who sacrificed his life so that others can live, to honour him, to immortalise him, to give him a befitting honour. We want to urge and plead with you to name that institution after this man.”
He added, “We in the House are also supporting the family of the deceased with the sum of N20 million to enable them, at least, to get a small capital to start a business now that their breadwinner is gone.”
Speaker Abbas, who described the incident as shocking and unfortunate, expressed the readiness of the House to collaborate with the other arms of the federal government and the states to tackle insecurity in the country.
The Speaker said, “It is indeed very unfortunate, particularly at a time when your humble self and His Excellency, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are doing all that you can to put this country on a sound footing.
“We know the efforts you have been making and that of Mr. President to secure the property and life of the people of this great state. This incident came as a rude shock to all of us, but we believe that whatever happens to a man is designed by God. It is how Allah wants it.”
He added, “The lesson we’ll take is that it is a demonstration and wake-up call to all of us—we at the national level and you at the sub-national levels—to continue to think outside the box on how we can contain this very big devil of insecurity that has bedeviled this great nation, not only Kebbi State.”
While assuring Kebbi State of support from the House, Speaker Abbas called for a lasting solution to the security crisis in the country.
“I want you to know that the House is with you; our hearts are with you, and we are ready to collaborate in every way possible to find lasting solutions to this insecurity and to also find means and ways of securing the lives of those who are still under captivity,” he said.
