Following the deteriorating security situation in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, parents and guardians are worried over the safety of students as schools resume for a new academic section on Monday.
It will be recall that the Federal Government had on July 25, 2022, directed the closure of federal colleges in the nationโs capital over series of terroristsโ attacks recorded in Abuja.
Recall that the National Examination Council was also directed in July to hasten the conduct of examinations for final-year students in a bid to forestall attacks on those participating in the exercise.
The directive was sequel to an attack on Sheda and Lambata villages, suburbs of Kwali Area Council, near the Federal Government College, FGC, Kwali by terrorists suspected to be members of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP).
It should be noted that the nationโs capital had experienced several security breaches since the unfortunate attack on the Kuje correctional center, where about 150 Boko Haram members and ISWAP fighters escaped.
More worrisome are the Kwali and Bwari Area Councils where bandits and other bloodthirsty criminal elements have been on rampage, killing and kidnapping unsuspecting residents.
Some residents, particularly parents and guidance, who spoke to our correspondents in Abuja yesterday, lamented the spate of killing and kidnapping occurring in some parts of the territory.
Mr Okowa Raymond of Covenant Secondary School, Bwari, said the schoolโs Parents and Teachersโ Association, PTA, met recently on how students could return to school amid the security threats.
He said while some parents expressed fear that the students may be attacked by bandits, the association resolved to contract security operatives for the safety of both students and teachers.
Mr Raymond said, โOf course, with what is happening in the territory currently, anybody can be scared of what may happen to his or her child in school. Even at home, we are not safe, much more places like school?
โBut I donโt think the management of any school will just sit and watch without making efforts to ensure that their students and pupils are safe. We are doing our best to ensure our safety, but we are still begging the government to do the necessary things. It is our right to be protectedโ.
A parent, Mrs Monica Adoja said her hope is on God alone, stressing that even the security operatives are no longer secured in any part of the country.
โIf we stop these children from going to school all in the name of insecurity, posterity will ask us questions that we may not be able to answer.
โWe only leave them in the hands of God. Even the security operatives that we are talking about, are they not also victims? It is only God that can secure our children for usโ, she said.
Another respondent, Mr Olawale Adebayo lamented how a nationโs capital had become characterized with such a security threat where vulnerable citizens who cannot protect themselves are left to their fate.
He said, โHow terrorist always penetrate the FCT to unleash attacks on innocent citizens always amazes me. Our children are scared of going back to school but our leaders are busy battling for power. This is sad.
โI have been trying to convince my only child who is schooling at the Federal Government College, Kwali, to resume but the fear of the terroristsโ attack near the school two months ago is still fresh in her mind. This definitely needs to stopโ.
However, the Public Relations Officer, FCTA Education, Mr Kabir Musa told newsmen that the FCT Administration had put up measures across the city to ensure safety of the returning students.
He said, โeverything has been put in place to ensure the safety of the students. By Godโs grace, the boarding students are resuming on Sunday, while the day students will resume on Mondayโ.
