Chibok Girls: Public Schools Shut Nationwide

Kazeem Ugbodaga

All public primary and secondary schools in Nigeria were Thursday shut down in protest over the 234 secondary school girls abducted by Islamic terrorists, Boko Haram at Chibok, Borno State, Northeastern Nigeria, since 14 April.

The Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, had on Wednesday ordered all public schools to be shut on Thursday to allow the teachers protest the abduction and to demand for the release of the girls.

In Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, all public schools were shut in compliance with the order of the NUT.

Observation in the Lagos metropolis showed that schools such as Agidingbi Primary and Secondary Schools, Vetland  Secondary School, Lagos State Model College, Meiran, Ile Ewe Primary School, Community Secondary  Schools, among others were shut down.

In Lagos, teachers and students in public schools protested to the Lagos State Governor’s Office demanding from the government to bring back the girls.

The students from various schools in Lagos trekked from Iyana Ipaja area of the state to Alausa in solidarity with their colleagues kidnapped in Chibok.

The students and teachers  carried placards, some of which read: “ Girl child slavery is Haram, bring back our girls,” “All of the girls must be released now,” “We want our girls back,” “Pray for our girls to return home,” among others.

The teachers carried a big banner with the caption: “Nigeria Union of Teachers Protests against the abduction of over 200 of our students of GGSS in Chibok and the killing of over 171 teachers by Boko Haram insurgents, set out students free now”.

In a letter addressed to Governor Babatunde Fashola, the teachers demanded for the release of the girls, saying they had been depressed ever since the students were kidnapped over a month ago.

“It is pertinent at this time to call on Nigerian government to bring back our girls safe and alive by demonstrating enough social responsibility and concern to guarantee security of lives and properties in the land which is the primary responsibility of any government,” said Comrade Adesegun Raheem, State Chairman, NUT, Lagos State in the letter to Fashola.

“We demand that both the Federal and the respective State Governments should exhibit true concern to the families of the 171 teachers who lost their lives in Borno and Yobe states to the baabaric, uncivilised and wicked acts of terror by paying them adequate compensation to assist in soothing their misery,” he added.