Members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Enugu State Chapter, on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest at the Enugu State Government House, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of schoolchildren and teachers reportedly abducted by bandits in Oyo State.
The demonstrators, who carried placards bearing inscriptions such as “An Attack on Teachers is an Attack on Education,” expressed deep concern over the growing insecurity affecting schools and other learning institutions across the country.
Addressing journalists during the protest, the Enugu State Chairman of the NUT, Comrade Theophilus Odo, decried the increasing vulnerability of schools to criminal attacks, warning that educational institutions were becoming unsafe for both teachers and students.
According to Odo, the protest was in compliance with a directive from the union’s national headquarters in Abuja, aimed at drawing government attention to the urgent need for enhanced security in schools nationwide.
He noted that incidents of abduction involving students and teachers had become a recurring challenge in several states, including Borno, Nasarawa and Niger, stressing that the safety of educators and learners must be treated as a national priority.
“We are appealing to governments at all levels to take decisive action and work with the Federal Government to secure the immediate release of the abducted teachers and pupils. Schools should remain safe environments for teaching and learning, not danger zones,” Odo said.
The Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidi Onyia, received the protesters at the Government House.
Responding to the union’s concerns, Onyia commended the teachers for conducting a peaceful demonstration and assured them that their demands would be conveyed to the governor for appropriate engagement with relevant federal authorities.
The protest underscores growing concerns among education stakeholders over the persistent security threats facing schools and the need for stronger measures to protect students, teachers and educational facilities across the country.
