Kebbi State Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has directed indefinite closedown of frontline schools, following abduction of 110 students and staff of Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, on Thursday.
Chairman of the state chapter of Nigeria Union of Teachers ( NUT), Isah Arzika who confirmed governor’s directive on Sunday.
The bandits attacked the school Thurdsay afternoon and took away the students and staff, and killing a policeman in the process.
The state government Joint Security Task Force, comprising the military and other security egencies, have so far rescued nine of the abductees, while one of the student also died a gune duel between bandits and the security operatives.
Arzika government had directed all school principals to close any school which they believed were not safe, adding that police and vigilantes had also been deployed to the schools for monitoring and protection.
“Government has given us an order and option to take any necessary action as far as our schools are concerned. That we can close those schools which we think are not safe and prone to attacks in the areas close to the forest.”
He said the NUT had already closed frontline schools as a proactive measure to guard against a recurrence of the incident similar to that of FGC Yauri.
“I am not talking about only boarding schools, any school that is on the frontline and it is not safe, we would just ask the students to pack and go home, pending the time the situation normalises.
“Before now, the state government had recruited large number of vigilante members to look over our schools and we are very much satisfied with what the government has done.
“Some of these schools that I am talking about have policemen attached to them, honestly, we are satisfied with government actions.”
On the abducted students Arzika said “since the security agencies have swung into action on the bandits, we have not made fresh contact with the parents and relatives of the students and teachers still in their captivity.
“When we made our first contact two days ago, precisely on Thursday, they did not demand any ransom, instead, they told the parents and relatives that they only wanted to establish contact with them and inform them that their children are with them.
“As I am talking to you, two of our teachers have regained their freedom. Already, seven schools on the frontline in that area have been closed and more will be closed, if we realise the situation is not safe for the teachers and students.”
