Exam halls should be sanctuaries, not crime scenes: Atiku condemns Kogi abductions

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the abduction of a school principal, a National Examinations Council (NECO) ad hoc official, and students in Kogi State, describing the incident as a grave failure of governance.

Abubakar stated that an examination hall should be a sanctuary of hope, not a crime scene. He criticized the current administration for normalizing insecurity, arguing that educational institutions have become preferred targets because criminals no longer fear the state. "A school principal should be preparing students for the future, not negotiating with kidnappers," he said.

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) linked the security failures to what he described as reckless federal budgeting and a neglect of public schools. He asserted that government policies have sent a clear message that education is no longer a national priority, leading to both economic exclusion and violent intimidation against students.

Abubakar called for the immediate and unconditional rescue of all abducted victims, emphasizing that a country where children cannot safely write examinations is one that is surrendering its future to fear. He argued that the collapse of school security signifies a broader collapse of governance.

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An examination hall should be a sanctuary of hope, not a crime scene. A school principal should be preparing students for the future, not negotiating with kidnappers. A NECO official should be supervising examinations, not struggling for survival in the hands of bandits. Yet this has become the grim reality under a government that has normalised insecurity.