Following increasing spate of insecurity and kidnappings, the Federal Government of Nigeria has emphasized the need for Nigerians to be vigilant to end attacks on schools and abduction of students.
Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, Minister of State for Education, stated this in an interview with The PUNCH on Monday.
The minister pointed out that government cannot secure every school and every household in the country, as such, everybody must be vigilant and report any strange person or movement in their area.
According to him, government has directed schools to report any security threat to the nearest security agency.
In the interview, the minister was asked what government was doing to protect schools from incessant attacks by bandits.
He responded, “Eternal vigilance is the price for security. Every nation is always concerned about the consciousness of its people. The Federal Government cannot secure every house. Everybody needs to be vigilant. We have passed this message to all our schools so that anywhere they are, if there is any threat, they know the nearest security agency to contact.”
Nwajiuba also claimed that almost all schools in the country were fenced. “Almost all the schools in Nigeria, whether private or owned by the Federal Government, are mostly all fenced, except may be some state schools.
“As you may also be aware, even if you put up a fence, these people (bandits) have been known to come through gates.
“So, perimeter fencing, by themselves, are not too effective. The security consciousness is the thing. If you hear where some of them are being held, you will know that it is a question of self-consciousness and communities informing officials on time.”
