The Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT has called on the Federal, States and Local governments to provide and ensure adequate security and 24 hours surveillance around schools across the country.

The call was made in statement signed and made available to Journalists in Abuja by the NUT Secretary General, Dr Mike Ike Ene.

The Union recounted recent condemnable events of bandits attack on schools and said if not immediately addressed it will affect the 2019/2020 academic calender which has already been disrupted by the six month long lock down caused by the Covid- 19 pandemic.

“As such we wish to remind our government at all levels, of their primary responsibility as enshrined in the constitution which is the security of lives and property of the entire Nigerian citizens”

NUT recounted the story of one Mr. Alu Ola Paul , Head teacher with Olagua Primary School Ohordua in Edo State. The National Leadership of the NUT said Mr Olagua was kidnapped on his way to work on the 1st of December, 2020 and released six days later.

Rampant kidnappings

In a related development, “on 8th December, 2020, Mrs Gladys Niemogha Belleh and Mrs Blessing Emunefe both of whom are teachers of Ohorhe Sceondary School Effurun in Delta State were kidnapped in their school premises by armed bandits and are yet to be released”.

They further recounted the recent event in Kankara, Katsina state.

“On 11th of December, 2020, Government Science Secondary School Kankara in katsina State, was invaded by armed bandits with reports that 333 students are yet to be accounted for as at today, this dastardly act has sent shivers through the spine of other members of the entire school community of Katsina state.

“These incidences are sad reminders of previous ugly events in Chibok and Dapchi, where Boko-haram terrorist had attacked and abducted students creating monumental disruption of school activities and impeding our nations educational growth and advancement while subjecting family members and relatives to unimaginable trauma.

“As a union,  the NUT will not fold her hands and watch enemies of educational development threaten the nations educational system.

“The Union however demand that government must rise to the challenge and take up its responsibility to guarantee and execute the general principle and commitment of providing adequate security to all  educational institutions and the nation at large”.

The Nigerian Union of Teachers also threatened to down tools till when it members would feel safe to teach and guide students without fear of abduction by faceless Individuals.

The Teachers also called on  government  to consider the implementation of Life Insurance and Hazard Allowance to teachers in Basic and Senior Secondary Schools as approved by President Muhammadu Buhari on the occasion of the World Teachers’ Day 2020.

Emmanuel Ukoh

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has presented 33 operational vehicles and 396 motorcycles to the State Security Network and Amotekun Corps operatives.

The presentation ceremony held at the Oyo State House of Assembly Complex, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, was attended by top government functionaries, the Board and Management of the Amotekun Corps, the Amotekun Corps members, lawmakers, among other stakeholders in the security sector.

During the presentation, Governor Makinde called on politicians across the country to be more bothered about restructuring the country in a manner that would guarantee the safety and security of the people than jostling for political positions.

Makinde stated, “What we need at this stage is to secure our people, to restructure Nigeria. It doesn’t matter who is the president in Abuja, if they restructure Nigeria, every corner of the country will feel the impact of government.”

The Governor, who said the effort is part of measures to beef up security in the State, noted that although the country has not allowed the operation of State Police, the establishment of Operation Amotekun is an effort at encouraging community policing.

He assured members of the Amotekun Corps that his administration would make their welfare top priority and do everything humanly possible to support the members of the Amotekun Corps because “theirs is a generation that is working at establishing a structure for safety and security of the next generation” the Governor said.

The Board Chairman, Oyo State Security Network and Amotekun Corps, Mr Kunle Togun, a retired Colonel, in his welcome address, commended the Governor for his support and concern towards securing the lives of the people in the state.

He expressed his readiness to make Amotekun Corps accountable and responsible to the people by ensuring discipline and diligence in their operation, while calling on indigenes and residents of Oyo State to give necessary support and information that would enable the personnel of Amotekun perform their duty effectively and efficiently.

He noted that the 33 operational vehicles would be distributed across all Local Government areas, while the 396 motorcycles would be distributed across the 351 wards in the State, the Chairman appealed to well-meaning individuals in the State to lend their financial and material support to the security outfit, saying “security is not what government alone can shoulder”.

Campaign promise

The State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Alhaji Bayo Lawal, maintained that the establishment of the Oyo State Security Network and Amotekun Corps was in line with Governor Seyi Makinde’s campaign promise to the people of the State to protect them and their property.

He further expressed gratitude to the State House of Assembly for the quick legislation attested to the security outfit.

Emmanuel Ukoh

By Eme Offiong, Calabar

The Nigerian Correctional Service has denied reports of a jailbreak in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State.

The service, in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Cross River Command, Effangha Etim, indicated that a local television station erroneously reported a jailbreak, where inmates escaped from custody.

“A television station implied that there was an escape of inmates (kidnappers and armed robbers) from ‘Calabar Prison’ (Calabar Custodial Centre). Nothing is far from the truth than the report”.

“As far as the Service is concerned, there has been no escape of any kind neither in Calabar Custodial Centre or any custodial centre in Cross River State Command,” the PRO said.

According to him, reporters need to engage in thorough investigation before publishing and broadcasting stories.

“We appreciate the media in their efforts to expose criminalities. However, we advise that as partners in progress, efforts should be made to verify all information before publishing,” he stated.

He furtherexplained that the Controller of Corrections, Cross River State Command, Thomas Yakubu Dankaro after thorough investigation was urging the public to disregard the report as its facilities were secured and inmates safe.

“The public should disregard the trending news as the Nigerian Correctional Service, Cross River State Command remained one of the peaceful and calm service in terms of security and safe custody of inmates,” Etim stated.

He added, “all custodial centres in Cross River State are safe and secured by armed correctional officers with support from other sister security agencies”.

Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Cross River State Police Command, Irene Ugbo, in a press release, revealed that seven detainees escaped from police custody on Sunday December 13, 2020 at about 5am.

Ugbo stated that of the seven escapees, policemen on duty shot and killed three of the detainees, recaptured one, while three were still at large.

The police publicist assured that  the command would not renege on its resolve to confront all forms of criminality no matter their schemes before, during and after the yuletide.

Confidence Okwuchi

The Nigerian Government has reiterated its commitment to addressing the Challenges in the Niger Delta region.

The Minister of State for Niger Delta, Omotayo Alasoadura, Omotayo Alasoadura  stated this while welcoming participants to the pre-council seminar of the 4th National Council on Niger Delta with the Theme: Achieving Uncommon Development in the Niger Delta region; Road Map and Strategy in Port Harcourt Nigeria.

Senator Alasoadura noted that the National Council on Niger Delta was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) as a forum to seek the buy-in and participatory approach of stakeholders towards achieving the mandate of the Ministry which main responsibility is to manage and coordinate, promote and initiate development policies  as well as processes in the Niger Delta.

The Minister of State also explained that ”the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs which was created as a direct response to the series of agitations by the people of the region, is presently executing several intervention projects designed to improve the deplorable state of the region.”

Emphasising on the theme of the Council, the Minister said; “the meeting is one of the strategies adopted by the Ministry to further deepen our engagement with Government Agencies and Stakeholders to promote the general well-being of the industrious and hospitable people of the Niger Delta”.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr. Baboyo Ardo  said that the Technical papers earmarked for discussion during the Pre-Council Session were carefully selected in line with the Ministry’s focal areas of interventions and the sub-themes meant to address and identified challenges of the region.

Some of the  papers presented during the seminar includes; ‘Establishment of Environmental Early Warning System for Niger Delta Region; Roadmap Strategy Towards Uncommon Agricultural Development in the Niger Delta Region; Roadmap to Opening up the Niger Delta Region for Uncommon  Socio-Economic Development;

Others were; Housing and Urban Settlement Development; The Catalyst for Revitalisation of the Economic Base of the Niger Delta Region; Coordinating Development Planning and Implementation in the Niger Delta Region, The issues, the Challenges and the Methodologies; Harmonisation of the Niger Delta Regional Development Master plan and Niger Delta Action into a Single Regional Development Strategy.

Mercy Chukwudiebere

By Fatima Hassan, Abuja

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON has commenced activities of grand launching of the Hajj Savings Scheme in South West Nigeria from 14th December 2020.

The grand finale of the South West Campaign will be hosted by Lagos state government on the 20th of December.

Lagos state governor Mr Babajide Sonwo Olu will grace the occasion as the  grand host .

Meanwhile, NAHCON has urged the general  public to visit the NAHCON-Jaiz Bank Registration portal on https://hajjsavings.jaizbankplc.com, for more on the Hajj Savings Scheme.

Confidence Okwuchi

The Minister of State in the Nigerian Federal capital territory, FCT  has inaugurated FCT-UBEB Centre for Science, Technology and Innovative Training for capacity building and teaching. 

The trainings would be in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics and basic agricultural technique.

Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu said the project which was rehabilitated, equipped and donated to FCT-UBEB by Skill ‘G’ Nigeria Limited, was aimed at improving the quality of Basic Education in the Federal Capital Territory.

Global trends

inaugurating the project at the Junior Secondary School, Hajj Camp Gwagwalada, the minister noted that the project would help the territory to catch up with global trends in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics ( STEM) education, starting from the basic level.

Aliyu, however, commended Skill ‘G’ for the laudable initiative and for choosing the Federal Capital Territory as one of the states for the pilot project, stressing, that the FCT-UBEB Science and Technology Resource Centre which was domiciled at the JSS Hajj Camp Gwagwalada was identified as appropriate for the pilot scheme.

“It is important to stress here that the Universal Basic Education Commission and the World Bank have been partnering on strategies to inject new ideas into Basic Education Science, Mathematics and Technology in order to strengthen functional education in schools.

“Accordingly, UBEC, the World Bank and Skill ‘G’ Nigeria Limited have agreed that a pilot be conducted in order to provide for “Proof of Concept” that will serve as a guide to both UBEC and World Bank,” she stressed.

The chairman of FCT-UBEB, Dr. Kabir Matazu, said Skill ‘G’ had before now renovated and equipped three science and mathematics laboratories at LEA primary school Kuje, science primary school, Gwagwalada and LEA primary school Bako in Kuje, Gwagwalada and Kwali area councils respectively.

He noted that the impact of the training and supply of the science equipment has raised FCT above other states in the areas of science and technology competition in Nigeria.

He further said that FCT UBEB schools have won several laurels at the 22nd National JETS competition that took place in Bariga, Lagos state.

Matazu  appealed to other donors to support and provide for the educational needs of children in basic education.

Lateefah Ibrahim