Seven schools have been closed down indefinitely in Kebbi State Nigeria, following the abduction of students and staff from the Federal Government College in Birnin Yauri by bandits.
According to the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Isah Arzika, the schools that have been closed indefinitely are in locations prone to bandit assaults.
Arzika stated that the government had instructed all school administrators to close any school that they considered was unsafe, and that police were on the lookout.
“On these proactive measures, as you all know, we are part of the system. Because principals are teachers, all the directors at the board are also teachers. It is the decision that we all took that is affecting us.
he stated that “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,”
The NUT leader promised that the front-line schools had already been closed, describing the measure as proactive in order to prevent another mass kidnapping of kids and teachers.
He emphasized that “I am not talking about only boarding schools, any school that is on the front line, and it is not safe. We would just ask the students to pack and go home, pending the time the situation normalizes.
“Before now, the state government had recruited a large number of vigilance members to look over our schools, and we are very much satisfied with what the government has done.
He expressed satisfaction with the decision of the government. he said, “some of these schools that I am talking about have policemen attached to them. Honestly, we are satisfied with government actions,”