NUT warns of increasing insecurity in Nigerian schools

The National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Audu Titus Amba, has voiced alarm over the escalating insecurity that is affecting schools throughout Nigeria, warning that the trend threatens the future of the country’s education system.

During an interview with journalists in Jalingo over the weekend, Amba said that the rising number of attacks on schools, teachers, and students could undermine national efforts to improve education.

He highlighted that parents place their trust in schools to educate their children and prepare them for a better future, and that these expectations can only be fulfilled in a safe and secure learning environment.

“If the safety of learners and teachers cannot be guaranteed, then the nation’s educational development is at risk,” he stated.

The NUT president questioned the logic behind targeting innocent children and educators, asking why those committed to learning and teaching should become victims of violence.

According to Amba, the union has a duty to speak out on matters that affect the welfare and safety of teachers nationwide and to demand stronger protection measures from the relevant authorities.

He emphasized that safeguarding lives and property is a constitutional responsibility of the government, urging authorities at all levels to take decisive action to address the growing threat to schools.

Amba cited recent incidents in Borno, Oyo, and Kogi states, including the killing of two teachers during the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) examinations, as evidence of the urgent need for enhanced security around educational institutions.

Condemning the activities of bandits and other criminal elements, Amba lamented the continued loss of lives, describing the killings as senseless and unacceptable.

“People are being killed indiscriminately as if they were animals,” he said.

The NUT leader further stressed that ensuring security is a collective responsibility, calling on citizens to support security agencies with timely and credible information that could help prevent attacks and protect schools nationwide.