Former Senator Shehu Sani has claimed that the security challenges in northern Nigeria were more severe under former President Muhammadu Buhari than they are under the current administration of President Bola Tinubu. Speaking on Saturday at the 40th anniversary reunion of the ’84’ set of Kagara Old Boys Association, an alumni group from Government Science College, Kagara, Sani expressed optimism that security would improve with committed governmental action.
The event took place at Ahmadu Bahago Secondary School in Minna, the capital of Niger State. Sani, while reflecting on the memories shared by the alumni and the efforts to reopen the school, emphasized the need for genuine commitment from the government to address security issues effectively. Government Science College, Kagara has been closed since 2021 following a bandit attack that resulted in the abduction of several students.
Sani asserted that the security situation in the country has seen some improvement under President Tinubu compared to the Buhari administration. “The security challenges would be over in the whole country because what we have now is better than the one we had during the Buhari administration. There is every evidence that many of the top terrorists have been eliminated by our security forces,” he said.
He listed several school attacks that occurred during Buhari’s tenure, including incidents at Green Field University, Kaduna; Bathel 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. He expressed hope that the current administration would continue to improve the security situation.
Sani also supported the Niger State Government’s suggestion to temporarily relocate Government Science College, Kagara, but insisted that the school should return to its original location once security improves. He lamented the deterioration of educational institutions in northern Nigeria due to bandit attacks and stressed the importance of providing education to prevent future crises.
“Northern Nigeria must take education seriously; we lag in education; we have the highest number of out-of-school children today. The activities of bandits and terrorists have destroyed the educational fabric and basis of northern Nigeria,” Sani added.
The Chairman of the Association, Ja’afar Tukur, represented by Dr. Philip Audu Ibrahim, expressed the alumni’s dissatisfaction with the school’s current state and called on the federal and state governments to address banditry and insurgency jointly. He highlighted the strategic location of Kagara, which forms a boundary with Kaduna and Katsina, making it a critical area for addressing security issues.
Government Science College, Kagara has been shut down and converted into a military camp since the 2021 attack.
