Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has reassured teachers and students of the safety of schools across the state amid growing concerns over attacks on educational institutions and the abduction of teachers and pupils in parts of the country.
The governor gave the assurance on Tuesday when members of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Rivers State Wing, staged a peaceful protest at the Government House in Port Harcourt as part of a nationwide campaign against insecurity in schools.
The protesters, carrying placards with various inscriptions, expressed solidarity with teachers and students reportedly abducted in recent attacks on schools in Oyo State and other parts of Nigeria. They also paid tribute to a teacher said to have lost his life during one of the incidents.
Represented by the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, Governor Fubara said his administration remains committed to creating a safe and secure learning environment for both educators and students.
He noted that the state government has continued to work closely with security agencies to strengthen security around schools and prevent incidents of kidnapping, violence and other threats to educational activities.
Fubara assured the teachers that Rivers State would sustain efforts to safeguard schools and support education workers, while expressing optimism that ongoing security operations would secure the release of those currently being held captive.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, the Secretary of the Rivers State Wing of the NUT, Comrade Bassey Asuquo, described the demonstration as a show of solidarity with colleagues and students affected by the growing wave of attacks on schools.
He expressed concern over the worsening security challenges confronting teachers, noting that many educators now report for duty each day under uncertain and potentially dangerous conditions.
“The school environment is meant to be a place of learning and development, not a scene of violence and fear,” Asuquo said. “The attacks on schools are not only crimes against individuals but also direct assaults on the future of the nation.”
He cautioned against treating the incidents as isolated cases, pointing to similar attacks recorded in different parts of the country.
The union called for the immediate and unconditional release of all abducted teachers and students and urged both federal and state governments to intensify efforts to secure schools nationwide.
Among its demands were the deployment of adequate security personnel to public schools and the implementation of a comprehensive national school safety policy aimed at protecting students, teachers and educational infrastructure from attacks, abductions and other forms of violence.
The protest concluded peacefully, with the union reiterating its commitment to advocating safer learning environments and stronger protection measures for schools across Nigeria.
