Vice-President Nnamadi Sambo
Vice President Namadi Sambo on Monday assured Nigerians that the Federal Government would ensure that the abducted pupils of Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, would be rescued alive.
The girls had been seized from their hostels at night by members of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, since April 14.
Sambo said Nigerians must however compliment government efforts in order to win the current war against terrorism and insurgency in the country.
The VP spoke at the opening of a two-day national conference on “Culture, Peace and National Security: The Role of Traditional Rulers in Nigeria’s Democracy,” organised by the National Institute For Cultural Orientation in Kaduna.
Sambo, who was represented by Kaduna State Deputy Governor, Amb. Nuhu Bajoga, said, “We will not only ensure that the girls abducted from Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, are brought back safely to their parents, but we are working assiduously to ensure that Nigeria is safe for Nigerians and foreign investors.
“Our current security challenges are clearly the resultant effects of the breakdown or abandonment of our cherished cultural values of honesty, hard work, respect for elders and constituted authority, as well as respect for the sanctity of human life. There is therefore the urgent need for deliberate cultural re-engineering that places high premium on our cherished cultural values. Our traditional institutions have a critical role to play in this regard.”
Earlier, the Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, had said that the nation’s culture and values were being stressed and called to question following the onslaught of social vices and the general insecurity experienced by the citizens.
The minister was represented at the occasion by the Director General of the National Museum and Monument, Alhaji Yusuf Abdallah.
Also at the event, the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Elkanemi, said even well-operated democracies had challenges to contend with “because man and his environment are dynamic in nature,” noting that challenges could be surmounted once appropriate measures are taken through proper consultations.
The Shehu of Borno, represented by the Emir of Machina, Alhaji Bashir Al-Bishir, said, “Nigeria is not different as a country and our current challenges of terrorism and insecurity can be tackled through an organised forum.
“It is our desire that as the custodians of culture, we should leave a lasting and enduring legacy for the younger generation and generations yet unborn.”
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