Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers has assured teachers, pupils, and parents of the safety and security of schools across the state, pledging sustained collaboration with security agencies to prevent attacks and abductions in educational institutions.
The governor gave the assurance on Tuesday when members of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Rivers State Wing, staged a peaceful protest at Government House, Port Harcourt, to express solidarity with teachers and students abducted by gunmen 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 plight of their colleagues who were kidnapped from three schools in Oyo State about two weeks ago and are reportedly still being held captive.
Addressing the protesters on behalf of Governor Fubara, the Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, said the state government remains committed to protecting schools and ensuring that Rivers State does not experience similar incidents.
He disclosed that the government has been working closely with security agencies to strengthen surveillance and security around schools, teachers, and pupils across the state.
According to him, the administration will continue to take proactive measures to prevent attacks on educational institutions while supporting broader efforts to improve security nationwide.
Nwagor also appealed to members of the NUT to remain patient, noting that the Federal Government is working with relevant agencies to secure the release of the abducted teachers and students in the shortest possible time.
Leading the protest, the Secretary of the NUT in Rivers State, Comrade Bassey Asuquo, described the demonstration as a solemn march in honour of a teacher reportedly killed during the attack and in support of those still being held captive.
He lamented the growing insecurity facing teachers across Nigeria, saying many educators now leave their homes daily uncertain of their safety.
“The school is supposed to be a sanctuary, a place where the future of our nation is nurtured, shaped and prepared for greatness.
”But what we have witnessed in Oyo State is a brutal attack on a school and the cold-blooded killing of our noble colleague,” Asuquo said.
He described attacks on schools as assaults on education and the nation’s future, stressing that the incident in Oyo State was not an isolated case.
According to him, similar attacks have occurred in other parts of the country, including Borno State, where schools and learning environments have repeatedly come under threat from criminal elements.
“We refuse to be silenced. We refuse to accept this as the new normal,” he declared.
The union demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all abducted teachers and students and called on the Federal Government and state governments to take decisive action against recurring attacks on schools.
Among its demands, the NUT urged authorities to deploy adequate security personnel to public schools nationwide and implement 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 government officials reiterating their commitment to safeguarding schools in Rivers State and ensuring that learning continues in a secure environment.
