Oyo, Borno attacks: Parents, teachers, students weigh in as ‘1,680 pupils kidnapped, 180 schools attacked since 2014’

•Questions over Safe Schools Initiative

By Adesina Wahab 

Parents, teachers and students have condemned the attacks on schools in Borno and Oyo states, calling for concrete efforts at preventing a resurgence of the evil act.

This is just as they noted that learning and teaching cannot be possible in an atmosphere of fear and that government must ensure that schools are safe and conducive for teachers and students.

Parents’ views 

Parents, under the aegis of the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria, NAPTAN, noted that the evil act of attacking schools should not be allowed to resurface again, saying it is a great disservice to education in Nigeria.

Speaking in an interview with Sunday Vanguard, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of NAPTAN, Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, described the recent incidents as unfortunate.

“The incidents are very unfortunate and they came when we thought the attacks on schools have been put to an end. We are not happy with the resurgence of such evil acts”, Ogunbanjo said.

“There should be no way for evil in our country. We call for the deployment of armed Civil Defence Corps officers, armed policemen and even Amotekun operatives in our schools.

“The Safe Schools Initiative must be given the bite to work and function well.

“Also, this is where the issue of state police comes in.

“The proposal by police authorities that state police may take another four years to fully come on stream may not be feasible with the way things are.

“State police should be allowed to start as soon as possible. Every hand must he on deck to tame this monster threatening our education system”.

He expressed the sympathy of the association to victims of the attacks and called on security agencies to ensure the safe return of the abducted students and teachers.

 It is pathetic – NANS

Speaking in the same manner, the National Public Relations Officer of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Adeyemi Samson Ajasa, described the attacks and abduction of people as pathetic.

“That we still find ourselves in this type of situation is very pathetic. The level of insecurity in the country is alarming. The incidents showed how far the terrorists have spread across almost all the nooks and crannies of the country”, Ajasa said.

“That such a dastardly act can be perpetrated in Oyo State means the terrorists are everywhere.

“State governors should be more responsible too. They should not be distracted by the jostling for positions in the 2027 general elections.

“If it happens to somebody today in the Southwest or anywhere in the country, who knows who will be the victim tomorrow? 

“As student leaders we are ready to collaborate with security agencies, political leaders and groups who are desirous of putting an end to this menace.

“We want the victims to be rescued alive and as soon as possible. The families of those that have been killed should not be left to suffer. Moreover, we want quick action on this. We don’t want to be pushed into demonstrating on the streets before the necessary steps are taken”. 

 Attacks on schools reprehensible – Teachers 

 Also commenting on the incident, the Ogun State Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, ASUS, Felix Oluwaseun Agbesanwa, noted that the beheading of one of the teachers by the terrorists was reprehensible.

“I had earlier decided not to publicly comment on the painful abduction incidents involving teachers and students in Oyo State for reasons personal to me”, Agbesanwa said.

“However, yesterday, a close friend drew my attention to the heartbreaking report of how a teacher was gruesomely murdered while some students were seriously tortured by bandits. Since then, my heart has been deeply troubled.

“The teacher who lost his life never planned to die that day. Like every committed educator, he woke up with the hope of impacting knowledge into the lives of students entrusted into his care. Sadly, he never returned home alive to meet his family. Instead, he became another innocent victim of the growing insecurity threatening our educational system and the peace of our nation.

“This painful incident raises serious concerns about the safety of teachers, students, and every Nigerian citizen. Security is one of the primary responsibilities of government, and this is exactly why leaders were elected into positions of authority. Citizens deserve to live, work, and teach without fear of being attacked, kidnapped, tortured, or killed by bandits and terrorists.

“I strongly appeal to all State Governors, particularly within the South-West region, to rise decisively against these deadly attacks. The protection of lives and properties must remain a top priority. Schools should never become centres of fear and mourning. At the same time, teachers must remain vigilant and proactive in all they do. Union leaders across affected states should not remain silent in moments like this. If necessary, a state of emergency should be declared by educational unions in affected areas while the national leadership of such unions should urgently intervene and speak strongly against these barbaric acts.

“Above all, we must all tread softly and avoid taking laws into our own hands. This is a moment for unity, prayers, and lawful advocacy. Let us continue to pray for the safe release of the abducted souls, comfort for the injured students, and strength for the grieving family of the departed teacher who was brutally murdered in Oyo State. May God heal our land and restore peace to our schools and communities.”

 What has become of Safe Schools Initiative? 

 The Initiative was launched in 2014 in the aftermath of the kidnapping of some students in Chibok, Borno State.

It was launched with $10 million seed fund by the Federal Government.

Eventually international agencies joined and raised the stake to $30 million. 

The funding is divided between international startup capital and a massive multi-year national government financing plan.

Due to security gaps and concerns that over 42,000 schools remain vulnerable despite these funds, the Nigerian Senate has launched probes into the utilization of the fund.

The committee set up to probe the project had Senator Orji Kalu as the chairman and was inaugurated last December.

Despite that it was given four weeks to turn in its report, not much has been heard from it almost six months after.

As part of the inquiry, the committee summoned the then Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa; Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa; the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Ahmed Audi; state governors; civil society partners; and representatives of school proprietors.

Speaking at the committee’s inaugural meeting in Abuja, Senator Kalu said the investigation would be thorough, promising to invoke all relevant constitutional provisions and Senate Standing Orders to ensure compliance.

“This committee is not here for a witch-hunt but for truth and accountability,” Kalu said. “We must track every naira and every dollar allocated to the Safe Schools Initiative since inception.”

Kalu noted that over 1,680 schoolchildren have been kidnapped and more than 180 educational facilities attacked since 2014.

“It is unacceptable that our schools remain soft targets for terrorists and kidnappers,” he said. “Nigerians deserve answers.”

The initiative was conceptualised as a multi-stakeholder partnership involving the Nigerian Government, the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education, the Global Business Coalition for Education, and private sector partners.

It was structured around: Physical protection of schools, community-based security interventions and rapid response and resilience systems.

Recall that penultimate Friday, gunmen invaded some communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, abducting some teachers, students and even pupils of a secondary school and two primary schools.

A teacher and a bke rider were killed in the process, while one of the teachers was later killed by the terrorists in the forest where they have taken them to. 

Sources further disclosed that a teacher sustained gunshot injuries in the course of the invasion, although the severity of the injuries remains unclear.

Also, unspecified number of pupils and students of Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira-Uba local government area of Borno State were abducted when some armed members of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists invaded their school premises in the early hours of Friday.

Mussa is a remote village and shares boundary with Sambisa Forest, an enclave of terrorists.

As of the time of filing this report, the terrorists were yet to make any contact with the relatives of the abducted people.

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