The West African Youth Protection and Advocacy Network (WAYPAN) has raised concern over the use of security funds by governments following the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Security Votes Under Scrutiny
The group stated that despite huge sums allocated yearly as security votes by federal and state governments, insecurity continues to escalate across the country, with kidnapping and violent attacks spreading to different regions.
WAYPAN Programme Coordinator, Rafiu Adeniran Lawal, in a statement on Thursday, condemned the abduction in the Oriire area of Ogbomosho, which reportedly claimed the lives of a gatekeeper, a motorcycle rider, and one of the abducted teachers.
Condemnation and Call for Rescue
The organisation described the attack as cowardly and reprehensible, stressing that it represents a direct assault on the rights of children to access education in a safe and secure environment.
Lawal called on security agencies, the Federal Government, and the Oyo State Government to intensify efforts toward the safe rescue of the abducted victims and ensure those behind the crime are arrested and prosecuted.
Spread of Kidnapping
The group expressed concern over what it termed the growing spread of kidnapping from northern Nigeria to southern parts of the country, warning that the situation increasingly portrays Nigeria as a nation under siege.
According to the statement, only a fraction of the enormous sums spent annually through security votes could procure critical security infrastructure such as surveillance cameras, drones, operational vehicles, communication gadgets, and advanced intelligence systems.
Lawal added that such resources could also improve the technological and operational capacity of security personnel to tackle kidnapping, banditry, and violent crimes more effectively.
“Unfortunately, substantial public resources continue to be devoted primarily to the personal security of political office holders and elites,” the statement said.
Call for New Security Strategy
WAYPAN argued that governments often deploy enormous resources toward prosecuting citizens over cybercrime and defamation allegations while failing to demonstrate similar commitment toward addressing insecurity.
The organisation called for a new security strategy rooted in intelligence-led policing, accountability, technology-driven operations, community engagement, and people-centred governance.
