The Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT has expressed concern over the recent wave of insecurity targeting schools across the country, warning that it could undermine efforts to advance the education sector.
The NUT National President, Comrade Audu Titus Amba, while speaking with journalists in Jalingo, stressed that parents send their children to school to acquire knowledge and secure a better future and not to kidnapped.
He warned that if the safety of learners cannot be guaranteed, the nation’s educational development will be at risk.
The NUT President who questioned the motive behind attacks on innocent children and teachers, wondered why those dedicated to learning and teaching should become targets of violence.
According to him, the union, as a responsible organization charged with protecting the welfare of its members, considered it necessary to speak out and call on relevant authorities to assure teachers and students of their safety.
The NUT President emphasized that providing security for lives and property remains a constitutional responsibility of government, urging authorities at all levels to take decisive action against the growing threat.
He cited recent incidents in Borno, Oyo and Kogi states, including the killing of two teachers during the conduct of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Examination, as evidence of the urgent need for improved security measures.
Amba condemned the activities of bandits and other criminal elements, lamenting that people are being killed indiscriminately “as if they were animals.”
He further stressed that security should be regarded as a collective responsibility, calling on citizens to support security agencies with useful information to help curb criminal activities and protect schools nationwide.
