Nigerian Teachers Protest, Shut Down Schools In Abeokuta

Public schools across ogun state were under lock and key today as the Nigeria Union of Teachers joined their colleagues in Nigeria in solidarity protest for the abduction of over 200 students of Government College in Chibok, Benue State by Boko Haram sect.

Most of the schools visited were locked while members of the teachers union embarked on peaceful protest in the state capital but their counterpart from the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools faulted the closure of schools in the state..

It will be recalled that the National ‎President of the Union, Micheal Olukoya, had in a statement in Abuja yesterday ordered all members of the union to stay away from schools today and organised a rally in support of Release Our Girls Campaign in the respective states.

In Abeokuta, the state capital, there was full compliance by the teachers to the directive from their National body‎ as all the public schools were under lock and key.

Not only this, leaders and members of the union converged on the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Teacher located around Kuto area of the state capital where they commenced a solidarity protest and moved round the major streets of Abeokuta, demanding the unconditional release of the girls.

Addressing the gathering, the Chairman of the Union in the state, Comrade Dare  Ilekoya‎ said the teachers organised the protest to drum support for the unconditional release of the girls by the Boko Haram sect.



He described the abduction and the killing of teachers as abnormal adding that all Nigerians, irrespective of their ethnic or religious background should rise against the lingering spate of insecurity in the country.

They later moved their protest to the Governor's office in Oke Mosan, where the leaders submitted their protest letter to the Governor of the state, Ibikunle Amosun.

Reacting to the closure of ‎schools by the authorities of Nigeria Union of Teachers, the President of Academic Staff Union Of Secondary Schools in Ogun State, Comrade Tunde Folarin said the body also condemned the activities of. Boko Haram, especially the killing of teachers and kidnapping of students.

He was of the view that closure of school in protest was like conforming with ‎the dictate of the terrorists noting that their plan was to ensure total collapse of education.

Folarin appealed to the Federal Government to put in place necessary measures to ensure safety of both the teachers and students in all schools.