The National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Titus Amba, has warned that teachers across the country may withdraw their services if worsening insecurity in schools is not urgently addressed.
Amba raised the alarm amid increasing cases of banditry and kidnappings targeting schools, especially in northern Nigeria. He cited recent incidents including the abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi State, the kidnapping of hundreds of students in Niger State, and attacks on pupils in Kwara State, which have heightened fears over the safety of teachers and learners.
According to him, persistent attacks have led to the closure of several boarding schools in high-risk areas, as authorities struggle to guarantee security.
The NUT president spoke shortly after the 8th quadrennial delegates’ conference of the Jigawa State chapter of the union, held on Thursday at the Manpower Development Institute in Dutse.
Describing the attacks as a direct assault on education, Amba lamented that teachers and students continue to be targeted while the system appears unresponsive.
“We have seen cases where students are abducted in large numbers and teachers are attacked, yet the system continues as if nothing serious has happened,” he said.
He recalled several past incidents, noting that education workers have increasingly become victims of violence while carrying out their duties. He referenced the killing of a vice principal in Kebbi State, the mass abductions of students in Niger and Kwara States, and the frequent kidnapping of teachers in different parts of the country.
Amba stressed that teachers cannot continue to work under constant threat and urged governments at all levels to treat school security as a national emergency.
“If this insecurity persists, teachers will have no option but to lay down their teaching apparatus for their own safety,” he warned.
He clarified that the union was not issuing idle threats but was demanding the fundamental right of teachers to work in a safe environment.
“Teaching is a noble profession, not a death sentence. Our members are ready to work, but they must first be alive to teach,” he said.
The NUT president called for stronger security around schools, particularly in rural and high-risk communities, through the deployment of security personnel and the use of technology to monitor threats.
“We expect concrete action, not just promises. Secure the schools, protect the teachers and learners, and we will gladly remain in the classrooms,” he added.
Meanwhile, new executives were elected during the Jigawa State NUT delegates’ conference. The newly elected State Chairman, Comrade Shu’aibu Guri, pledged to uphold the union’s constitution and prioritise teachers’ welfare.
“Our focus will be on protecting teachers’ rights and engaging government constructively to ensure they receive what is due to them,” Guri said.
