Teachers in Kano State are joining a nationwide solidarity rally on Tuesday to demand the safe release of abducted students and teachers in Oyo and Borno states, as concerns continue to grow over the security of schools across Nigeria.
The rally, directed by the national leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), comes amid rising outrage over the abduction of dozens of pupils, students and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The union has already ordered an indefinite withdrawal of services by public school teachers in Oyo until the victims regain their freedom.
Speaking with Wazobia FM, the Deputy Chairman of NUT in Kano, Comrade Sanusi Dahiru Minjibir, said members of the union in the state would participate in the peaceful rally by presenting letters to the Kano State Head of Service and the Secretary to the State Government.
According to him, the protest scheduled for 9 am is aimed at drawing the attention of the government and security agencies to the continued captivity of students and teachers, while demanding stronger action to secure their release.
The union official admitted that some people considered the response delayed, especially following previous school attacks in Borno, Katsina, and other northern states.
“We are a little bit late because this has been happening in northern states, especially in the North-West and Borno. Lately, this happened in Oyo and NUT has taken all its machinery to come out and do what is needful.”
However, Dahiru argued that security-related matters often require quiet engagements before public actions are taken.
“You know, people can say it is late, but did they know what is being put in place to tackle this situation?” he asked. “The insurgency is not something that you come to the public to be discussing. Whatever you are doing has to be secret because some security issues need silence.”
He said the latest incident in Oyo, where abducted school officials reportedly managed to contact the outside world, triggered stronger mobilisation by the union.
The academician added that the closure of affected schools in the area was necessary until the government secures the release of the victims.
The abduction crisis has once again raised questions about the effectiveness of Nigeria’s Safe School Initiative, introduced to protect learners and teachers from attacks.
In March 2025, the Kano State Government and the Nigeria Police launched a Safe School Project aimed at strengthening security around schools and training special protection squads.
While acknowledging that some states were slow in implementing security measures, the Kano NUT leader said there are signs of progress in Kano.
He noted that security personnel have already been deployed to some boarding schools located outside the metropolitan areas, including communities close to insecurity-prone borders.
Mr Dahiru specifically mentioned areas such as Karaye, Shanono, Tsanyawa and parts of the Gwarzo axis, where authorities have reportedly taken preventive measures because of their proximity to troubled areas in neighbouring Katsina State.
“I know our government went to Tsanyawa and around the Gwarzo axis. Government is doing all it can to make sure these kidnappers do not encroach on our land because we are very close to Katsina, where these incidents are common,” he said.
Although no major attacks on schools have been recorded in Kano recently, he warned that nearby communities have experienced security threats, making vigilance necessary.
He urged residents to support security agencies by reporting suspicious movements around schools and communities.
“Maybe we are not praying for it to happen in other states, but if it happens, we may think of closing down educational activities across the country so that the government will focus on this issue seriously,” he stated.
NUT Scores Kano Government Above Average in Education Performance
Beyond security concerns, the NUT official also gave a largely positive assessment of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s performance in the education sector over the past three years.
He pointed to the declaration of a state of emergency on education, renovation of classrooms, construction of new schools, provision of learning materials and improvements in teachers’ welfare.
According to him, delayed salaries and promotion benefits that previously affected teachers have reduced significantly.
He said many schools across Kano now show visible improvements, although challenges remain in balancing academic calendars with frequent religious holiday breaks.
“As teachers, we may not find it convenient when studies are interrupted, but these are important religious periods,” he said. “What we are hoping is that the government will consider these festivities more carefully when designing future school calendars so they will have less impact on learning.”
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