There is tension at the Federal Government College, Azare in Bauchi State following chaos which erupted in the school as parents and students rejected the new principal posted to the school.
A source within the area told SaharaReporters that many parents and students are worried about the arrival of the new principal who has been linked to negligence in terror attacks.
It was gathered that the name of the new helmsman, Dr. Bukar Bukarbe, reminds the parents and students of the college of the horror that took place eight years ago at the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi in Yobe State.
Recall that Bukarbe was the principal of FGC, Buni Yadi, at that time the Boko Haram insurgents attacked the school and killed about 50 students.
Bukarbe was accused of having had prior knowledge of the impending doom that night but chose to sit on the information until the massacre occurred.
Bukarbe was widely condemned for his action as parents of the slain students believed that if he had taken some proactive measures after getting hint of what would come, probably the attack would have been stopped or at least countered or minimised.
He was therefore accused by many parents of cold indifference and outright complicity in the horrible incident.
A parent of one of the students lamented that “As the principal of the school, Bukar was duly informed that Boko Haram terrorists were going to attack the town. In fact, they transmitted the letter to him through a senior staff of the college when the Principal was in Abuja for a meeting. Despite the threat which circulated among the teachers and that was even announced at the assembly ground, the Principal did not show any sign that he understood the seriousness of the situation, not to talk of closing down the school.”
Sequel to such alleged complicity and cold indifference to the horror that shook the country and beyond, parents and students of FGC, Azare were apprehensive over the decision to appoint him to their school as they believed he would still exhibit similar negligence and expose the students to danger.
They held that Bukarbe’s unjustified negligence and non-committal disposition until the Buni Yadi students were brutally massacred by the terrorists did not portray him as a man worthy of being entrusted with the fate of more students.
A parent who preferred hidden identity said that “Dr Bukar Bukarbe is not worthy to superintendent any school as a principal again considering his alleged complicity in the unfortunate massacre of Bunu Yadi boys. One wonders why the lot fell on FGC Azare to have such an arrogant, cold and uncaring fellow as their Principal.”
A student of the school (FGC Azare), who unequivocally maintained that Burkabe was not welcomed in the school said. “We are scared that such a man is being posted to our school. He is not the kind of father we want as our Principal. If they don’t remove him, I will reconsider my further stay in that school. It is better to stop my secondary education than to be put in the hands of an uncaring man who might expose us to danger.”
Another student who simply identified himself as Hassan demanded that the government should not post Bukarbe to the school.
"My friend's brother told me about the man and the role he played that led to the massacre of students of FGC Buni Yadi by Boko Haram. I'm scared of him and I pray the Government listens to us and changes the posting. His presence in the school as Principal will definitely affect us students negatively," the student said.
Also speaking, a teacher in the school who preferred anonymity for security reasons, expressed shock over the appointment of Bukarbe as the Principal of FGC Azare.
According to the teacher, there is no way parents and students can feel comfortable with such a man as the Principal of the school.
The teacher added that "Bukar Bukarbe's story while at the FGC Buni Yadi is well known by teachers and even parents here. We hear he is arrogant and doesn't care about people under his care. How can we be happy working with such a person?"
Recall that Boko Haram terrorists on February 25, 2014 stormed the FGC Buni Yadi in Yobe State while students were sleeping, threw explosives into the dormitory and opened fire on the helpless students, killing about 50 students while all the 24 buildings in the school were burnt down during the attack.
Eyewitness said that the "Students were trying to climb out of the windows and they were slaughtered like sheep by the terrorists who slit their throats. Others who ran were gunned down."