By Stephen Gbadamosi, Ibadan
Leadership of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and Trade Union Congress (TUC) yesterday ensured a successful day two of the strike in Oyo State, called to protest the abduction of teachers and pupils of schools in Oriire Local Government Area (LGA) of the State amid seeming inaction by relevant authorities.
President Bola Tinubu, though, had, weekend, ordered the recruitment and deployment of 1000 forest guards to ferret out the kidnappers.
As happened on Monday too, some civil society organisations (CSOs) continued their protests in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, over the same matter.
In Federal Capital Territory (FCT), teachers and proprietors of private schools joined the protest.
These are just as Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State warned against politicising the abduction matter.
Yesterday, the protest, which started from the NLC state council secretariat, Agodi, took the protesters to the Agodi State Government Secretariat, with teachers carrying placards bearing various inscriptions such has ‘Bring Back Our Teachers And Students Now’, ‘Save Education And End Insecurity Now’, ‘Stop The Attack On Schools’, and ‘Let Teachers Teach In Peace’, among others.
Addressing the protesters, led by leaders of the NUT, NLC and National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), at the Governor’s Office, Makinde called for a united approach at all levels of government as well as public support to curb insecurity in Nigeria.
Makinde, who appealed for trust on the issue, assured residents that security agencies had been actively working since the abductions took place.
Emphasising unity during national distress, Gov. Makinde urged stakeholders and Nigerians to avoid politicising the incident, but focus on the safe return of the victims.
Earlier, NLC Chairman in the state, Kayode Martins, and NUT Chairman, Comrade Fatai Hassan, had lamented the abduction of the teachers and school children, maintaining that teachers would continue their strike until the abductees were rescued.
President of NANS, Babatunde Akinteye, stressed that synergy among tiers of government was critical to fight “those threatening Nigeria’s peace and safety.”
Later, Gov. Makinde met with the union leaders and called on governments at all levels to work together to confront “the present insecurity challenges and rescue the pupils and teachers abducted recently in Yawota and Ahoro Esinele communities of Oriire Local Government Area.”
In a statement released by his Special Advised on Media, Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, Gov. Makinde made the call while receiving leaders and members of the NLC, NUT NANS, “who came on a peaceful/solidarity rally to demand the quick and safe release of the abductees.”
He noted that the incident was a national distress, again warning against attempts to politicise it, or trade blames.
According to him, the challenge went beyond politics “because the perpetrators have demonstrated a complete disregard for humanity,” adding that it was time for everyone to work together to surmount the challenge.
Speaking with the union leaders, Makinde appealed to students, workers and teachers across the state to continue to trust the government, assuring them that every available resource was being deployed to secure the release of the abducted children and their teachers.
“I have had the opportunity to engage with the leadership of NANS, NUT and NLC. Let me say this clearly, this is a time of national distress. It is not the time to trade blames and to play politics. I am personally distressed.
“My own father was a primary school teacher. He actually taught at Ahoro Dada, which is less than 15 kilometres to where this incident happened.
“My father was there between 1959 and 1960 and if something like this had happened to him, maybe I wouldn’t have even been born.
“So, it is not the time for us to say, ‘it is the President that should have handled this; it is the governor or the local government.’ This is the time to pull together as one.
“We are not dealing with normal human beings. Just think briefly, how will somebody take a fellow human being and slaughter him? Is that somebody that is normal? So, these are not normal people.
“I can only appeal to you, the students, the workers, the teachers, to please have trust in your government. We are doing our best,” he said.
Speaking further, the governor emphasised that both the federal and state governments were collaborating to ensure the successful rescue of the abducted persons.
He further assured the labour leaders, teachers and students that once the abductees had been successfully rescued, his administration would consider suggestions aimed at strengthening the state’s security architecture in the long term.
“I have heard from the Federal Government, and I have been meeting with the security operatives sent here over the past two weeks. We shouldn’t provide oxygen to the people that want to see us divided. The response at this time should be to pull together and allow the government to see this through.
“I can give you the assurance that our children and their teachers, by the grace of God, will return safely.
“In an atmosphere of insecurity, virtually nothing can be achieved. Nothing. Schools, hospitals, economic activities will all be grounded. We know this and because we’re not dealing with normal human beings, it is going to be a tortuous journey.
“All I will say is that from the Presidency to the state, we will continue to put in our efforts.
“But in the meantime, please, and please, and please, it is time to unite, to confront the challenges that we have, and to bring back those children and our teachers,” the governor added.
Earlier in their separate solidarity remarks, the National President of NANS, Comrade Babatunde; State Chairman, NLC, Comrade Martins; and Chairman, NUT, Oyo State, Comrade Fatai, commended the efforts of Gov. Makinde and equally charged him to intensify efforts and ensure the quick release of the abductees.
They condemned the barbaric act of kidnapping and killing of innocent people, describing the perpetrators as enemies of the nation.
While pledging their support to Gov. Makinde and the government, they called on the government to strengthen the security architecture of the state, especially in schools, to make the environment safe and more conducive for learning.
The briefing had in attendance the Deputy Governor of the state, Barr. ‘Bayo Lawal; the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Musibau Babatunde; Deputy Chief of Staff, Hon. Kazeem Adeniyi; Senior Executive Assistant to the Governor on General Duties, Chief Mikhail ‘Bayo Lawal; Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Segun Olayiwola; and Commissioner for Information, Prince ‘Dotun Oyelade, among others.
In FCT, teachers and owners of private schools joined the protest.
Displaying placards with several inscriptions urging government to work to rescue the abductees, the NUT members marched up to the headquarters of FCT Administration (FCTA), Area 11, Garki,which houses the Office of FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike.
FCT NUT Chairman, Abdullahi Shafas, told newsmen that the state Council of NUT took to the streets in obedience to a directive from the NLC and NUT national bodies directing them to proceed on protests to send a message home to government to initiate actions to urgently free the teachers and students.
Also, private school owners, under their umbrella National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), FCT chapter, demonstrated in solidarity with the captured teachers and students.
After a protest at the National Assembly, a spokesman for the body, Mr. A.C. Degreat, wrote in a statement: “We reaffirm our position on the safety of our pupils and teachers. We remain deeply concerned about those who are still under captivity and call for renewed efforts to secure their freedom.
“We say NO to terrorism and all forms of insecurity that threaten education in our nation.
“Schools must remain safe havens for learning, free from both internal and external threats. Every child deserves access to quality education in a secure and conducive environment, while every teacher deserves to carry out their duties without fear.
“Together, we stand for educational development, school safety, and the protection of our children and educators.”
*PHOTO CAPTION: Gov. Makinde (with mic) with leaders of the protesters, addressing the crowd below.
