Parents under the umbrella of the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria, NAPTAN, have condemned the recent invasion of schools in Borno and Oyo states where students and teachers were abducted by armed men.
The association described the strike as disturbing and warned against the return of insecurity targeting schools across the country. NAPTAN said such incidents pose a serious threat to education and the safety of children in Nigeria.
Speaking on the development, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of NAPTAN, Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, expressed sadness over the incidents and called for urgent action from security agencies and government authorities.
According to him, the strike came at a time many Nigerians believed the era of school invasions and kidnappings had ended. He stressed that schools should remain safe spaces for learning and not become targets for criminal activities.
Ogunbanjo called for the deployment of armed security personnel, including officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, police officers and Amotekun operatives, to schools across the country. He also urged the government to strengthen the Safe Schools Initiative to protect students and teachers.
The NAPTAN leader further renewed calls for the founded state police, saying the security challenges facing the country require urgent local solutions.
The reaction followed the abduction of a secondary school principal and several students at Community High School, Ahoro Esinele, in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. The principal, Mrs. Rachael Alamu, was reportedly kidnapped during the strike, while a teacher sustained gunshot injuries.
In Borno State, armed Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists reportedly invaded Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira Uba Local Government Area and abducted an unspecified number of pupils and students.
The village is located near the Sambisa Forest, a known hideout for terrorist groups.
NAPTAN expressed sympathy to the affected families and appealed to security agencies to ensure the safe rescue and return of all abducted victims.
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