Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, on Safe Schools in Zamfara State, have cried out over the continuous closure of 168 schools, urging security personnel to intensify serious fight against the ravaging bandits.
The Safe Schools’ Technical Team said the only way to reopen the 168 schools was for the security operatives to carry their onslaught against banditry to the red zones.
The chairman of the team, Hashim Ahmed made the call during an advocacy visit to the commissioner of police, Muhammad Danlijam at the Command Headquarters in Gusau, the State capital.
Ahmad said that three public secondary schools in the state have suffered serious bandits’ attacks and abductions of their students since banditry began in 2011.
He added that five schools were taken over by Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, as camps.
“The three public schools include- Government Girls Day Secondary School, Jangebe, in Talata Mafara Local Government Area, Government Day Secondary School Kaya in Maradun Local Government Area and Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Moriki in Zurmi Local Government Area of the State.
“This development forced the Zamfara State government to close down all primary and secondary schools on 11th September, 2021. While some schools were reopened for learning on 17th January, 2022, the others in the red zone have remained closed up to date
“It is against this that the Civil Society Organizations, Safe Schools Technical Team is urging the government at all levels to provide adequate security to all schools that do not have the presence of military, police, or personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to protect students and teachers to enable them to resume learning,” he said.
Responding, the State commissioner of Police, Muhammad Danlijam, assured of the state police command’s readiness to work with any relevant group to ensure adequate security not only in schools but across the state.
