TheCable

Senate President Ahmad Lawan has called for “intense soul searching on how to cage the monster of violent crimes” in the country, as part of efforts to tackle insecurity.

He stated this while reacting to the abduction of schoolgirls from a secondary school in Jangebe, Zamfara state.

The police confirmed that 317 schoolgirls were abducted in the early hours of Friday.

Efforts to rescue the schoolgirls are underway, the authorities have said.

In a statement, Ola Awoniyi, spokesman to Lawan, quoted the senate president as saying the country, in its “soul search”, needs to figure out a way forward.

“The senate president said the recurrent attacks on schools and other acts of banditry call for intense soul searching on how the nation arrived at this sorry pass, and how to cage the monster of violent crimes in Nigeria,” he said.

“Lawan expressed his sympathy for the abducted schoolgirls, and urged the authorities at all levels to work together to ensure their immediate rescue.

“The senate president also reiterated his call on the state authorities to accord priority to securing schools and other locations now seen as soft targets by savage criminals.”

The abduction of the schoolgirls comes nine days after 27 students were abducted by bandits from Government Science College, Kagara in Niger state.