Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara has assured teachers, pupils and parents of the safety of schools across Rivers State, pledging continued collaboration with security agencies to prevent attacks and abductions within educational institutions.
The assurance came on Tuesday as members of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Rivers State Wing, staged a peaceful protest at Government House, Port Harcourt, in solidarity with colleagues abducted by gunmen during attacks on schools in Oyo State and other parts of the country.
Carrying placards with various inscriptions, the teachers joined a nationwide action organised by the NUT to draw attention to the worsening insecurity in schools and demand the rescue of teachers and pupils reportedly kidnapped from three schools in Oyo State about two weeks ago.
Addressing the protesters, Governor Fubara said his administration remained committed to ensuring the security of schools and creating a safe environment for teaching and learning across the state.
Represented by the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, the governor said the state government had been working closely with security agencies to safeguard teachers, pupils and school facilities from criminal attacks.
He assured the union that the government would continue to take proactive measures to prevent incidents of kidnapping and violence in schools, while urging members to remain patient as efforts were being intensified by the Federal Government and security agencies to secure the release of the abducted teachers and students.
“We will continue to do everything within our powers to ensure that schools in Rivers State remain safe and conducive for learning,” he said.
Earlier, the Secretary of the NUT in Rivers State, Comrade Bassey Asuquo, described the protest as a solemn march in honour of a colleague allegedly killed during the attack and in solidarity with teachers and students still being held captive.
He lamented that teachers across the country now operate under constant fear, noting that many leave their homes daily uncertain of returning safely.
“The school is supposed to be a sanctuary where the future of our nation is nurtured and prepared for greatness. What happened in Oyo State is not only an attack on innocent people but a direct assault on education and our collective future as a nation,” Asuquo said.
He argued that the Oyo incident reflected a broader security challenge confronting schools nationwide, citing similar attacks in parts of the North-East and other regions of the country.
According to him, the repeated targeting of educational institutions has transformed schools from centres of learning into places of fear and uncertainty.
The union called for the immediate and unconditional release of all abducted teachers and students and urged the Federal Government and state governments to take decisive action to halt the recurring attacks on schools.
The NUT also demanded the deployment of adequate security personnel to public schools across the country and the implementation of a comprehensive national school safety policy aimed at protecting students, teachers and educational infrastructure from violence, abduction and other security threats.
The protest ended peacefully with the teachers reiterating their commitment to safeguarding education while urging authorities to prioritise the security of schools and those who work and learn within them.
