Gunmen had stormed the community around 7am on Friday and abducted the pupils who were on their way to the school.
As reactions continue to trail the abduction of school children from the LEA Primary School Alwaza, Nasarawa State, North Central Nigeria by Islamic terrorists, a non-governmental organisation, Save-Public-Education-Campaign, Nigeria has called on government to make schools safe for children.
SaharaReporters had reported that some gunmen had stormed the community around 7am on Friday and abducted the pupils who were on their way to the school.
“We need help; gunmen stormed my community and abducted 6 pupils to unknown destination. The name of the school is LGEA primary school, Doma LGA of Nasarawa state,” a source had told SaharaReporters.
Condemning the abduction, the Save-Public-Education Campaign in a statement issued on Monday, which was jointly signed by Comrade Vivian Bello and Comrade Dimeji Macaulay, Convener and Co- Convener respectively, insisted that school children should not be used as pawns in the hands of bandits and terrorists.
Titled: "Re: abduction of primary school pupils in Nassarawa State; Government must make Schools in Nigeria safe for children," the organisation said the abduction of school children was fast becoming alarming in Nigeria.
According to the statement, "this abhorrent act is coming on the heels of several incidences of abduction of children from places of learning including Baptist Boys High School Kadunna, Kankara Boys School Katsina, School of Health Kadunna, amongst others.
"It is most distressing that children attending schools now face issues around their safety even within the school environment where they are ordinarily supposed to play and learn in an atmosphere devoid of fear or encumbrances. To see that this is fast becoming a mirage in the country is not only distressing but alarming.
"Education is at the heart of any Society’s development, both of its human capital as well as other aspects of its socio-economic sphere and therefore having this social capital being threatened as it were in Nigeria by Insecurity is most worrisome and calls for prompt action to stem this ugly tide.
“The trauma of these abducted school children and their parents and families is better imagined than experienced. We call for immediate, strong and effective action in the regard of rescuing the school kids and re-uniting them with their Families.
"The Save-Public-Education-Campaign is in this vein making a strong case for the strengthening of security around Schools across the country; enough of children who go to schools to acquire Education, being pawns in the hands of bandits and other criminal elements. The Ministry of Education should synergise with security agencies to provide strong and effective security around schools in Nigeria.
"Education authorities across the country must also take active steps to emplace and reinforce safety mechanisms and infrastructure (proper fences, automated gates, well-trained and equipped security men, etc) in schools towards reducing the vulnerabilities school children face in educational places and making schools generally safer and conducive for students across board.”