Members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Enugu State Chapter, on Tuesday stormed the Enugu State Government House in a solidarity protest to demand the immediate and unconditional release of schoolchildren and teachers recently abducted by bandits in Oyo State.
The protesting teachers, who carried placards with various inscriptions, such as “An attack on teachers is an attack on Education,” expressed grave concern over the rising wave of insecurity in educational institutions across the country.
Speaking on behalf of the demonstrators, the Enugu State Chairman of the NUT, Comrade Theophilus Odo, lamented that schools were fast becoming high-risk environments for both educators and students.
Odo stated that the protest was in compliance with a directive from the national headquarters of the union in Abuja, aimed at compelling the government at all levels to secure learning institutions.
He said, “Our teachers are discharging their work normally, and these children went to school, and they didn’t come back, and they have not come back up till now. It happens in many other states of the Federation — Borno, Nassarawa and other states — Niger.
“So we are here to appeal to all the governments on behalf of the Nigerian teachers headquarters in Abuja that they should put their foot down and persuade the federal government to immediately and unconditionally release our teachers because this could happen to any other person.
“We want them to keep our schools safe so that teachers will be comfortable going to school, in fact, school should not be a danger zone for the teachers and children, that is why we are here sir at the government house to register our protest.”
The Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidi Onyia, received the protesting teachers at the government gates.
Addressing the aggrieved teachers, Onyia commended the peaceful nature of the demonstration and assured the union that their message and plight would be directly conveyed to the governor for onward engagement with the federal authorities.
