NLC agonises over Yobe school killing

Speaking at a news conference in Kaduna, the General Secretary, National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria and Vice President  of the NLC, Comrade Issa Aremu, said security should be all-inclusive and not only for the wealthy.
He said it was unacceptable for a few politicians to be well-secured while the poor majority are being killed daily, calling on the National Assembly to organise a public hearing on the killings.
“Even during the civil war, there was no time school children were massacred. After that, in the history of Nigeria, five unity schools have never been closed because of security threat. If our security forces can keep a clean sheet during the centenary celebration in keeping safe heads of nations, we see no reason why there shouldn’t be security everywhere in Nigeria”, Aremu said.
“Our hearts grieve over the terror attack on Federal Government College Buni Yadi in Yobe State in which scores of students were murdered by gunmen and scores of female students abducted. While we understand the panic measure to hurriedly shut down five out of 80 unity schools, this government action is belated, reactionary and unhelpful to the good intention of the transformation agenda in education,” he said.
“Some of the students are said to have registered for their WAEC and NECO examinations. How will they write the exams? Who will compensate them for the exams registered and not written?,” he asked.
“If there is the political will, there will be many ways to secure all Nigerians. What is good for centenary celebration is even more desirable for our schools. If we could protect a few dignitaries around the country during the centenary celebration, we should even be more upbeat and protect unity schools that accommodate tens of thousands of students.”