The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Kaduna State Wing, on Thursday urged students not to be deterred in their quest for knowledge because of insecurity and evil being perpetrated by bandits.
The union’s Senior Assistant Secretary General, Adamu Kaltungo, gave the advice in a statement in Kaduna, while reacting to the kidnapping of students and two others in Kachia Local Government Area of the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the state government had on Wednesday confirmed the kidnapping of eight female students of Government Secondary School, Awon, and two others in Kachia LGA on April 3, 2023.
Reacting to the development, Kaltungo said that the NUT condemned the evil act and urged the Kaduna State Government to intensify efforts to ensure the release of the students.
“These innocent and law-abiding citizens committed no crime but were kidnapped on their way home from school in search of knowledge.
“We also plead with the State Government not to relent in their efforts in protecting the lives and property of all citizens.
“The Union further commiserates with the parents and teachers whose children and students were affected.
“We appeal to the affected parents, teachers, school, and the communities to remain calm in this trying moment as we pray collectively for their release by the grace of God,” he said.
The Union also thanked the state government for the reinstatement of 1,266 primary school teachers, sacked in June 2022 over a competency test and 22 others erroneously removed from payroll.
He said that the Union appreciates the kind gesture extended to their teeming members who were negatively affected by the government policy.
“This will go a long way in bridging the gap of the teacher-pupil ratio being experienced in public primary schools across the state.
“The Union also appealed to the state government to review the cases of the 21,780 primary school teachers sacked in 2017 for possible reinstatement,” he said. (NAN)
