Former Senator Shehu Sani has asserted that security challenges in northern Nigeria were more severe under former President Muhammadu Buhari than under current President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Senator Sani made this claim during the 40th anniversary and reunion of the ’84 set of the Kagara Old Boys Association, alumni of Government Science College, Kagara, in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.
The event was held at Ahmadu Bahago Secondary School in Minna. Sani emphasized that security issues could be resolved with genuine government commitment.
GSS Kagara has been closed since bandits invaded the school in 2021, abducting several students. Commenting on the country’s security situation, he said:
“The security challenges would be over in the whole country because what we have now is better than during the Buhari administration. There is evidence that many top terrorists have been eliminated by our security forces. Comparing today to the past, the current situation is an improvement.
“Under the Buhari administration, there were numerous attacks on schools, including Greenfield University, Kaduna; Bethel Baptist School, Kaduna; Government Science College, Kagara; Federal Government Girls’ College, Yauri; Federal School of Agricultural Mechanization, Mando; Government Secondary School, Kankara; and Government Secondary School, Jangebe. We are hopeful that things will continue to improve.”
Sani also supported the temporary relocation of Government Science College, Kagara, as suggested by the Niger State Government, but emphasized that the school should return to Kagara once the security situation improves. He added:
“It is unfortunate that schools that produced some of the best minds in the country are now in ruins. We must acknowledge that failing to provide education for our youth will create a future force we cannot control.
“Northern Nigeria must prioritize education; we lag behind with the highest number of out-of-school children today. The activities of bandits and terrorists have devastated the educational foundations of northern Nigeria.
“The school we once called our own has been deserted because bandits attacked and took students and teachers hostage.”