Kankara kidnap: Soyinka reveals why students were abducted during Buhari's visit

Soyinka in a statement on Monday said the abduction is a slap on the President's face and a challenge from the criminals who abducted the students.

Soyinka stressed that it is yet another confirmation that the President is not in charge of Nigeria.

Recall that armed gunmen hours after President Buhari arrived Daura, his home town for a one week private visit, stormed the secondary school and kidnapped dozens of students

Soyinka mentioned that the fact that the attack took place in Buhari's state at a time the President was present shows the criminals are sending out a challenge.

The statement read, "It is merely the latest in the serial stinging slaps across the face of the nation, and it draws blood from every sensing citizen. Over five years since Chibok, we have yet to anticipate, and to guard against a repeat. We continue to hand over innocent wards cheaply, en masse, to the agents of darkness and despair."

Soyinka noted that Nigeria is at war and the government needs to take drastic measures to save the country.

"A government refuses to accept that, as indicated several times over, the nation is at war. At war within itself, and that it requires drastic measures, away from spasmodic responses after the dread deed, if there is any will left over to salvage what is left of nationhood," he said.

Soyinka further called on the government to rescue the students and overhaul the nation's security architecture to avoid a repeat soon.

"What is tragically demonstrated daily in all departments of citizen survival is the need to overhaul the nation's structural existence - beginning, obviously, with the imperative of guaranteeing that very existence," his statement added.