The House of Representatives has called for security presence in schools across the nation to address the worsening security situation in the country.
The decision of the House is sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved at the plenary on Wednesday by Billy Osawaru.
Presenting the motion, Osawaru decried that students are no longer safe even in their schools, especially, in places like Borno, Nasarawa, Niger, Zamfara, Katsina and Kaduna States.
He recalled that on Thursday, 7th of March 2024, about 287 schoolchildren were kidnapped from a government-owned school in Kaduna State’s Kuriga town.
The lawmaker said before then, on Friday, 22nd of September 2023, about 24 students of the Federal University of Gusau in Zamfara State were kidnapped by bandits.
He warned that schools might be shut down if attacks by terrorists and bandits on schools across the country continue.
The lawmaker added that in Nigeria, policemen are not guarding most of the schools despite the level of attacks frequently experienced by the schools and the ones in existence are not sufficient in manpower and equipment, hence the level of losses incurred any time such attacks occurred.
Osawaeu warned; “If no drastic measure is taken to curb the escalating insecurity situation in the country and in the schools, the entire schools may end up being shut down due to the activities of these miscreants and hoodlums.”
“In addition to the abductions, over 180 schoolchildren were killed and nearly 90 injured in 70 attacks between April 2014 and December 2022, with an estimated 60 school staff kidnapped and 14 killed. 25 school buildings were reportedly destroyed during that period.
“The majority of these attacks took place in North-West Nigeria (49 attacks), followed by North-Central Nigeria (11 attacks) etc.”
He noted that due to the directive of the President and the relentless efforts of security agencies, the schoolchildren who were victims of the March 2024 attack have long been united with their families.
He, however, said the trauma and shocking experiences they must have been through would forever be in their minds and might likely give them a phobia of going to school again.
Osawaru stressed that despite the efforts of Nigerian security agencies, the miscreants appear to be reinforced and have perpetuated serious chaos in most schools and have made lives extremely difficult for the majority of the schoolchildren/students and staff who now live under perpetual fear and threat to their lives.
Reps demand presence of security operatives in schools to forestall attacks