(Borno Students. Photo by Guardian Nigerain News)
According to the Nigeria Union of Teachers, closing Borno State’s schools due to growing unrest would be tantamount to giving terrorists a win in their attempt to undermine the state’s educational system.
In an exclusive interview with our correspondent in Maiduguri on Tuesday, Comrade Yusuf Tom, the union’s National Publicity Secretary, made this claim.
Tom, who represented Comrade Zali Garba, the state chairman, stated that the union was determined to keep schools open in spite of security issues and that closing them would give insurgents more confidence.
“We did not order the closure of schools in Borno State,” he declared. Closing schools is a triumph for terror.
Therefore, in order to continue defeating their (terrorists) strategy of closing schools, we will keep encouraging our instructors to educate in our individual schools. We are not advocating for school closures; rather, that is what we are fighting for.
He claims that the upcoming national demonstration gives educators a chance to call for immediate government action in response to the growing number of kidnapping incidents in schools.
Human rights include education.
However, the situation has changed recently, which is why we are holding this demonstration to raise awareness and demand the unconditional release of our students at Askira Uba of Mussa Primary and Secondary School.
“These kids are worthy of protection and human rights.” We demand that the government step up efforts to save these kids, educators, and coworkers in Borno and other states. “We are in solidarity with the nationwide protest,” Tom said.
Teachers from all across the federation were anticipated to gather at state secretariats on Tuesday (today) for a countrywide demonstration calling for the unconditional release of teachers and kids who had been kidnapped in Oyo State and other regions of the nation, as the social media had previously reported.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers organized the simultaneous demonstrations in all 36 state capitals in reaction to the increasing number of kidnappings that target educators and schools.
The move was taken in response to an order issued by the NUT’s national leadership in a circular dated May 29, 2026, which was signed by the union’s secretary, Clinton Ikpitibo, and president, Audu Amba.
In order to raise awareness of the growing insecurity impacting schools, the circular required all state chapters to hold solidarity demonstrations.