*Photo: The rescued pupils*
The Muslim Lawyers’ Association of Nigeria (MULAN) says it receives with delight and utmost gratitude to Allah (SWT), the cheering news of the safe rescue of the pupils and teachers abducted by bandits in coordinated attacks on the Ahoro Esiele Community in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State about 56 days ago.
This was contained in a press statement on Saturday, signed by, Alhaji Hassan Taiwo Fajemite and Abdulrahman Ahmad Paiko Esq, National President and National Publicity Secretary, respectively of MULAN.
They said “MULAN congratulates the Federal and Oyo State governments, and indeed all Nigerians on the successful rescue operation which had generated national embarrassment, tension and inflicted untold suffering and hardship on the victims, their families and all well-meaning citizens.
“The Association wishes to commend all members of the armed forces of Nigeria especially the Police Force, the Military, the intelligence community and all other bodies and individuals who played critical roles in not only ensuring the release of the innocent abductees, but also in arresting eight of the suspected bandits apart from neutralizing some of them.We earnestly urge that rather than rest on their oars, the armed forces should intensify concerted efforts in apprehending the other bandit groups across the country and subject those arrested to due process by carrying out forensic investigations and where necessary, prosecuting all suspects in accordance with the laws of the country.We call on governments at all levels to deploy more attention and resources to curtailing, if not eliminating banditry and other acts of criminality which violate the fundamental rights and liberty of our citizens.
“MULAN seizes this opportunity to urge the security agencies to intensify efforts in securing the release of one its prominent members – Hashim Abdullahi, Esq. who has been at the mercy of his abductors since his unfortunate abduction on 28th June, 2026 on the Gusau Road in Anka Local Government Area while returning from the 17thAnnual General Conference (AGC) of MULAN held in Kano between 25th and 28th June, this year.
“MULAN appeals to all governments and their agencies to jettison the policy of negotiating with criminal elements and paying ransom to them as experience has so far proved that rather than this policy discouraging the criminals, it has instead emboldened them to turn banditry and other criminal activities into a lucrative industry on an epidemic scale. Instead, we charge governments to focus more in adopting all pro-active anti-terror policies and measures, including the deployment of more resources – human and material to combating the scourge of banditry and other crimes.”
The lawyers added that “While commending the on-going efforts at introducing state police and other community-based vigilante bodies, we would, however, caution that the policy should be subjected to careful planning and implementation under a legal framework which would ensure that the political parties and other influential bodies and individuals do not hijack the state police establishment to perpetrate partisan other selfish interests at the expense of peace and stability in the country.”