Comrade Titus Amba, National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), has cautioned that if the worsening insecurity in schools is not addressed urgently, teachers in the country may withdraw their services.
The warning is coming following rising cases of banditry and kidnappings targeting schools, especially in parts of northern Nigeria.
Recall that abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi State, the kidnapping of hundreds of students in Niger, and attacks on pupils in Kwara have further increased concerns over the safety of teachers and learners in the country.
Meanwhile, Amba who spoke while responding to questions from journalists shortly after the 8th quadrennial delegates’ conference of the Jigawa State chapter of the union, held on Thursday at the Manpower Development Institute, Dutse, the state capital, described the trend as a direct assault on education and the lives of teachers and pupils.
He lamented that education workers have increasingly become victims of violent attacks while discharging their duties.
Amba noted that in Kebbi State, a vice principal was killed in the line of duty; while in Niger and Kwara States, hundreds of students were kidnapped.
He said teachers cannot continue working under constant threat, appealing to governments at all levels to treat school security as a national emergency.
The NUT president revealed that the union was not issuing threats lightly but insisted on the fundamental right of teachers to work in a safe environment, emphasising that teaching is a noble profession, not a death sentence.
Amba also called for the fortification of security around schools, especially in rural and high-risk communities, through the deployment of security personnel and the use of technology to monitor threats.
