Terrorism: NUT seeks insurance for students, teachers

Filed: Nigerian women protest abduction of Chibok schoolgirls

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), on Thursday, stressed the need for insurance policy for teachers and students in the country to reduce their sufferings.

The Chairman of the union in Cross River, Eyo-Nsa Itam, made the call while addressing union members in Calabar during a solidarity rally for the release of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls in Borno.

Itam said teachers and students have become endangered citizens in the current security challenge threatening the country.

He appealed for the safe return of the female students. "The school system had suffered the worst attack; from primary and secondary to tertiary education system.

"Apart from the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls and others unaccounted for, so far 173 teachers have lost their lives in Boko Haram attacks.

"Therefore, the Nigeria Union of Teachers wants to join the world to call on the Boko Haram insurgents and their collaborators to bring back our girls safe and alive."

Itam urged government to take appropriate measures to safeguard the lives of vulnerable students and teachers in schools across the country.

"It is important, as we had called at different times, to declare state of emergency in education in Nigeria.

"It is also important to take insurance cover for both students and teachers in the vulnerable political environment of the country.

"Education should be publicly declared as fundamental human right and its abridgement should be criminalised."

The protesting teachers carried placards that read: "Our hearts are with Chibok girls"; "Our girls must go to school"; and "We taught you, don’t kill us."

Receiving the teachers at government house on behalf of Governor Liyel Imoke, the State Security Adviser, Rekpene Bassey, commended them for their peaceful conduct.

"You have carried out this demonstration very peacefully by not allowing any unguided or misguided element to hijack it.

"What you have done is what all patriotic Nigerians and the international community are doing to ensure that the girls are released alive.

"Nigeria is currently going through a difficult time and during such a time, we need to be patriotic, careful, and to ensure that whatever we do does not contribute to the problem."

Source PM News