Banditry: 168 Zamfara Schools Remain Shut - Groups

 

Some civil society organisations (CSOs) have deplored the continued closure of 168 schools in Zamfara State due to banditry in the state.

They appealed to the security agencies to intensify the fight against bandits so that the schools can be reopened.

The chairman of the CSOs Safe Schools Technical Team, Ahmad Hashim gave the charge during an advocacy visit to the state commissioner of Police, Shehu Mohammad Dalijan.

Hashim stressed the need for more commitment from the security agencies to deal with the bandits squarely, so that the schools in the red zone can reopen for learning activities.

He said three public secondary schools have suffered bandit attacks and abduction of their students since the inception of banditry from 2011 to 2023 while five others were taken over by Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as camps in Anka local government area.

Hashim said, "It is on record that three public schools, Government Girls Day Secondary School Jangebe in Talata Mafara LGA, Government Day Secondary School Kaya, in Maradun LGA, and Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Moriki of Zurmi LGA witnessed bandits’ attacks", he added.

According to him, this sad development forced the Zamfara State government to close down all primary and Secondary schools on 1st September 2021 while some schools were reopened for learning on 17th January 2022 and the others in the red zone have remained closed up to date.

It is against this background that the chairman of Civil Society Organizations Safe Schools Technical Team called on the government at all levels to provide adequate security to all schools that do not have the presence of security agents in their domain for the protection of teachers and students.

The group also wants the federal and state governments to implement policies on safe schools, strengthen coordination among relevant stakeholders, and improve funding as well as training on safe schools initiatives in a bid to ensure continuous learning.

In his response, Danlijan expressed the police readiness to work with any responsible group to ensure security not only in schools but across the state.