By Jane Salihu
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has described the persistent abduction of schoolchildren by terrorists as a direct assault on Nigeria’s future, urging the Federal Government to adopt smarter, technology-driven security measures to stem the growing threat.
The Council, under the leadership of the President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, made the call on Thursday while condemning Monday’s attack on Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, where a teacher was killed and scores of students and teachers were abducted.
In a statement signed by the Council’s Public Affairs Officer, Abbas Jimoh, the NSCIA described the incident as a barbaric act that underscored the urgent need for a more decisive national response to terrorism.
It said the recurring attacks on schools had become “a national disgrace” and constituted crimes against humanity that must be brought to an end without delay.
The Council expressed concern that the latest attack occurred only weeks after the abduction of 42 pupils of Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in the same local government area and the kidnapping of 49 pupils and their teachers in Oyo State, noting that many of the victims were still in captivity.
According to the Council, the terrorists exploited the market day in Lassa to infiltrate the community before launching the attack, a development it said highlighted the need for stronger intelligence gathering, surveillance, inter-agency collaboration and community-based early warning systems.
The NSCIA also urged governments at all levels to embrace modern technology in combating insecurity, citing the Enugu State Government’s AI-powered security architecture as a model worthy of replication.
It noted that the system, which features a command and control centre, surveillance drones and AI-enabled patrol vehicles capable of identifying threats and tracking criminals in real time, could significantly improve security operations if adopted more widely.
While commending troops of Operation HADIN KAI for their swift deployment of ground and air assets that led to the rescue of some abducted victims, the Council insisted that security operations should continue until every kidnapped student and teacher regained freedom.
The Council also paid tribute to the soldier and member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) who lost their lives during the rescue mission, describing their sacrifice as a testament to courage and patriotism.
Reaffirming Islam’s position on violence, the NSCIA declared that terrorism has no place in the religion, stressing that groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP neither represent Islam nor its teachings.
According to the Council, the activities of the terrorist groups violate the Qur’anic principles of justice, mercy, sanctity of human life and the pursuit of knowledge.
The NSCIA extended its condolences to the Borno State Government, the management of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, families of the abducted students and all those affected by the attack.
It further urged security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the remaining captives and bring the perpetrators to justice, insisting that Nigeria must never yield to terrorism or allow attacks on schools to become the norm.
