Hoodlums take over schools in Benue

The Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has strengthened security measures to curb menace in some Basic schools in Makurdi metropolis almost taken over by hoodlums.

Daily Trust reports that suspected cultists and hoodlums have taken over some Basic Schools in Makurdi metropolis where they vandalised and steal school property.

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Chairman of the Board, Comrade Joseph Utse, had earlier led management staff of the Board on a two-day fact finding tour to Saint Mary’s Primary School North-Bank, RCM Primary School, Tionsha and Saint Catherine’s Primary School all in Makurdi to confirmed the incident.

Utse however on Wednesday during a follow up to access the security situations of the schools led his officials to St Catherine’s Primary school where they interacted with Parents Teachers Association (PTA), School Based Management Committee (SBMC) Traditional Rulers, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) to find lasting answers to the menace.

The Board chairman lamented that the facilities provided by the state government were either vandalized or taken away by suspected hoodlums, hence the need to take necessary measures to stop it.

He charged the Education Secretary of Makurdi Local Government Education Authority, Patrick Aese, to ban illegal entry into the school by people including those for evening lessons and for worship pointing out that only teaching/learning should hold in the schools and no other activity.

He said the Board will obtain search warrant to recover stolen properties and those caught causing destruction will be legally dealt with as he stressed that Governor Samuel Ortom’s attention to Basic Education in the state had been impressive.

Earlier in his address, Education Secretary of Makurdi LGA, Aese expressed optimism that the meeting would put a final stop to the ravaging insecurity in the school.

In a remark, Special Adviser to the Governor on Basic Education, Sarwuan Tarnongo, maintained that the governor has much interest in education generally and St. Catherine’s in particular as his Alma mater and would not tolerate any act of sabotage.