The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers staged a solidarity demonstration in the streets of Abuja, appealing for the safe release of kidnapped individuals nationwide as well as the protection of educators and students.
The teachers started the demonstration at the Federal Ministry of Education’s offices before moving on to Area 11, the FCT Administration’s main office.
According to the DAILY POST, the demonstrators carried signs that read, among other things, “End The Reign of Fear in Our Schools,” “Teachers Deserve Security, Not Fear,” and “Kidnapping Has no Place in Education.”
The event, which has as its subject “United for Education, Together for Our Future,” aims to raise awareness of the mounting vulnerability that educational institutions across the country are facing.
According to the , 82 students were kidnapped in separate incidents in the states of Oyo and Borno between May 13 and May 15.
On May 13 and 14, armed groups in Borno State raided schools in Askira Uba and Chibok LGAs, kidnapping forty-two students.
On May 15, coordinated attacks on Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School, and L.A. Primary School, Esiele in the state’s Oriire LGA resulted in the kidnapping of an additional forty students in Oyo State.
Michael Oyedokun, a math teacher, a biker, and a few security personnel were also killed in the Oyo attack while rescue efforts were underway.
Speaking to attendees at the Abuja event, NUT FCT Chairman Abdullahi Shafa stated that the demonstration was in accordance with a direction issued by the union’s national headquarters.
“We are following orders from this union’s national headquarters. The state chairman stated, “They told us, in every state of the federation, to start a solidarity rally in protest of what has happened to our teachers and students in parts of the country.”
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