Terrorists: As classes begin in FCT and elsewhere, tension rises

Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports

As schools begin for a new academic semester on Monday, parents and guardians are concerned about the safety of pupils due to the deteriorating security situation in the Federal Capital Territory, or FCT.
According to Track News, the Federal Government ordered the closure of federal colleges in the nation’s capital on July 25, 2022, in response to a slew of terrorist attacks that were reported in Abuja.

Recall that in an effort to prevent attacks on individuals taking part in the exercise, the National Examination Council was also given the go-ahead to conduct exams for final-year students more quickly in July.

The decision was issued in response to an attack by terrorists believed to be from the Islamic State of West Africa Province on Sheda and Lambata villages, suburbs of Kwali Area Council, close to the Federal Government College, FGC, in Kwali (ISWAP).

According to Track News, following the terrible attack on the Kuje detention facility, where roughly 150 Boko Haram members and ISWAP fighters fled, the nation’s capital has experienced a number of security lapses.

More concerning are the Kwali and Bwari Area Councils, where armed robbers and other heinous criminals have been on the loose, killing and abducting innocent locals.

Some locals, in particular parents and teachers, who spoke with our correspondents in Abuja yesterday expressed regret over the recent spate of murders and kidnappings that have been happening in some areas of the country.

The Parents and Teachers’ Association, or PTA, of Covenant Secondary School, Bwari, recently gathered to discuss how children may return to class in the face of security concerns, according to Mr. Okowa Raymond.

While some parents voiced concern that the youngsters would be attacked by bandits, he said that the association had decided to hire security guards to ensure the protection of both teachers and students.

“Of course, given what is going on in the area right now, anyone can be afraid of what can happen to his or her child in school,” Mr. Raymond remarked. We need safety not only in public spaces like schools but even at home.

“However, I don’t believe any school administration will passively observe without taking steps to safeguard the safety of their children and pupils. Although we are making every effort to protect our safety, we continue to implore the government to take the necessary steps. We have a right to protection.

As a mother, Mrs. Monica Adoja stated that only God can give her hope, highlighting the fact that even security personnel are no longer safe in any area of the nation.

“If we prevent these kids from attending school for no other reason than fear, future generations may have questions that we are unable to address.

“We simply place them in God’s hands. Are not even the security personnel that we are discussing victims? Only God can protect our children for us, the woman claimed.

Another caller, Mr. Olawale Adebayo, bemoaned the fact that a country’s capital had developed into a security issue, leaving defenseless inhabitants to their fate.

“I’m constantly amazed at how terrorists manage to breach the FCT and launch assaults against defenseless civilians,” he remarked. While our leaders are engaged in a struggle for control, our youngsters are anxious about returning to school. It’s tragic.

“I’ve been trying to persuade my only child, Kwali, who attends the Federal Government College, to return to class, but she still feels anxious about the terrorist attack that occurred two months ago close to the school. This must end immediately.

The FCT Administration, according to Mr. Kabir Musa, Public Relations Officer for FCTA Education, has put in place safeguards around the city to guarantee the safety of the returning students.

Everything has been done, he declared, to assure the students’ safety. By God’s grace, boarding students are starting back on Sunday, and day students are starting back on Monday.