By Henry Oladele
The Early Childhood and Basic Education Instructors in Nigeria (ECBEIN) has appealed to the Federal Government to apply all necessary mechanisms to ensure rescue of schoolchildren and teachers recently abducted from schools in Oyo State.
The National President of ECBEIN, Dr Sunday Fowowe, made the appeal in a statement in Lagos on Thursday.
Fowowe decried the incident, saying it was a direct attack on Nigeria’s education system and the future of the nation.
He said such abduction had created fear, anxiety and uncertainty in schools and communities, inflicting emotional trauma on parents, teachers and guardians.
“This tragedy is not an isolated incident; it is a devastating assault on Nigeria’s education system. It is a direct threat to the safety, dignity and future of our children and adolescents.
“We are confronted with a painful reality where classrooms, once spaces of hope, curiosity and disciplined learning, are now associated with fear and uncertainty.
” This association implores President Bola Tinubu, Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and all heads of security agencies to treat the matter as a national Emergency,” he said.
He urged adoption of a coordinated and intelligence-driven approach toward securing unconditional release of the victims.
The ECBEIN president called for full deployment of operational, technological and tactical resources to strengthen rescue efforts.
” This association also demands unprejudiced prosecution of those responsible for the abduction.
“Justice must be swift and uncompromising to deter future occurrences.
“The safety of Nigerian children and adolescents must never be negotiable.
“Education cannot thrive in fear, and a nation cannot progress when its future leaders are being taken hostage with impunity.” he said.
Fowowe reaffirmed ECBEIN’s solidarity with the affected families and communities.
He pledged the association’s support toward strengthening school safety frameworks and child protection policies across educational institutions. (NAN) www.nannews.ng)