By Uche Amunike
The high rate of insecurity in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja especially as the activities of government and bandits have been on a steady increase has left the education sector with no choice than to postpone the resumption date for schools in the territory.
In the satellite areas, they have been constant clashes between farmers and herdsmen including cases of kidnapping just like in other parts of the country.
In about 3 weeks, many communities in Abuja have faced attacks by these criminals much more than has been reported publicly.
On September 6 these unknown gunmen penetrated the Pegi Community in Kuje area of Abuja and succeeded in abducting a Mrs Bukola Oladapo, alongside two of her daughters. They were able to succeed in scaling her fence all fully armed with AK-47 rifles and forced her doors open, right there at the resettlement area where she lives in the community with her family. They are still demanding ransom.
Recall that in August, Abdullahi Benda and his 23-year old son, Jibrin Abdullahi Benda where also abducted during one of such unknown gunmen attacks at Yangoji village in the Kwali Area Council of Abuja, all fully armed with sophisticated weapons.
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers also abducted the village head of the Jibi community, Esu Jibi, a certain Ibrah Dahiru Liman, while injuring two vigilantes along the Dei-Zuba expressway in the FCT, Abuja just as they kidnapped four residents and injured several others on August 19, when they attacked the Dogon-Ruwa community in the Kwali Area Council of the FCT, Abuja, kidnapping some residents and living some others injured.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has therefore announced that the first term for the 2021/22 academic session will kick off on September 19, 2021.
This was made known by the Acting Director of the Department of Quality Assurance of the Education Secretariat of the FCT Administration issued last week, which revealed that Day students will resume Monday September 20th, while boarders are to resume September 19th.
Schools were formerly scheduled to resume on Monday September 6 2021 in the FCT, but according to the Director of Quality Assurance Education Secretary, Mrs Uzoanya, the shift was necessary in order to allow students participating in the 2021 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, to complete the examination and graduate.
She explained that schools in the FCT are just starting their first term ever since schools were shut down, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, saying that were the resumption not shifted, the new students that were promoted to SS3 may be stranded, as the previous class is still writing their examinations.
According to her, since the school cannot have two SS3 classes, they have to wait till the ones that are writing exams have covered most of the subjects and almost rounding up the exercise.
The security situation in the FCT has however put fear in parents and guardians, as schools gear up for resumption because of stories of bandit attacks on schools in neighbouring states, where numerous students have been abducted, make the rounds.
Parents have pleaded with security agencies in the FCT to beef up security in order to protect their children from the dare-devil bandits.
The Public Relations Officer, FCT Education Secretariat, Mr Kasim Musa has however given the assurance that efforts have been made to see that students in the FCT are secured, saying that they were working hand-in-hand with the security agencies and necessary stakeholders including the local vigilante to see that students and pupils are not attacked in schools
