Teachers under the aegis of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Cross River State Wing, on Tuesday joined their counterparts across the country in a nationwide protest against the abduction of teachers and students in Oyo State.
The peaceful demonstration, held in Calabar, was part of a directive from the national leadership of the union to draw attention to growing insecurity in schools and demand the safe return of all abducted victims.
Addressing protesters, the State Chairman of NUT, Gregory Olaye, said the action became necessary following the kidnapping of teachers and students in Oyo State about two weeks ago.
He said reports available to the union indicated that some of the victims were still being held captive by their abductors, while concerns were mounting over their safety.
According to him, the incident underscores the increasing vulnerability of schools, teachers and pupils to criminal attacks across the country.
Olaye described education as the foundation of national development and warned that continued attacks on schools could have far-reaching consequences for the country’s future.
He lamented what he described as inadequate security around educational institutions, noting that many schools operate without dedicated security personnel.
The union leader said the safety of teachers and learners must become a priority for governments at all levels if confidence in the education system is to be sustained.
He stated that the immediate concern of the union was the safe rescue and return of all teachers and students still in captivity.
Olaye further alleged that information reaching the union suggested that some of the victims had been forced to communicate with relatives while in captivity and were living under threats from their abductors.
He called on security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the release of the victims and bring those responsible for the abductions to justice.
The NUT chairman also urged authorities to strengthen security measures in schools nationwide to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
He maintained that the nationwide protest was intended to send a strong message to government and relevant stakeholders on the urgent need to protect schools, teachers and pupils from rising insecurity.
