Buba Galadima, member of the Board of Trustees of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), has advised the Federal Government to prioritize the protection of schools rather than shutting them down amid rising insecurity.
Speaking on Monday during an interview on Arise Television, Galadima acknowledged the challenges faced by state governments in balancing student safety with access to education. “In the first place, it is shameful to close down the schools. It’s shameful on the government, and every person in the administration and us. You cannot close down schools. What you will do is how to protect the schools,” he said.
He further called for the use of technology and proactive security measures, stating: “The government should forget about physical security; we have passed that stage. We need to deploy technology to detect things even before they happen. We also need to set up special squads to deal with issues even before they spring up.”
The call comes after the Federal Government ordered the immediate closure of 41 unity colleges across Nigeria following a resurgence of student abductions. In a statement signed by Hajiya Binta Abdulkadir, Director of Senior Secondary Education, the closure was described as a precautionary measure to prevent possible security breaches. Principals of the affected schools were instructed to comply without delay.