The recent security challenges experienced in Nigeria today has become a cause of concern for every citizen especially as these criminal elements have made public schools and religious gatherings their prime spots of target.
We have watched with horror how these men of the under world revel in kidnapping innocent school children, making them victims of psychological trauma. Sadly, in some situations, security personnel escape for their life living school children as preys in the hands of the bandits.
Here in Akwa Ibom State, we have recorded instances of missing school children though not rampant as what is obtained in the Northern part and middle belt of Nigeria.
To safe guard our schools, we urge Akwa Ibom State government to take proactive measures by provide perimeter fencing around all public primary and secondary schools in the state to enhance the safety of our children in public schools.
We are also aware of the shortage of security men in public schools across the state. It is sad to observe that in the last one decade, Akwa Ibom State government has not employed security personnel to protect public schools in Akwa Ibom State. The is one of the reasons why infrastructure in public schools are vandalized often by hoodlums without any action taken by government to nib the ugly occurrence in the bud.
The state government should as a matter of urgency collaborate with community leaders, employ and deploy securitymen to public schools in the state to protect school infrastructure and ensure the safety of school children in the state.
A stitch in time saves nine.
