Ministry of Homeland Security to Investigate Attacks on Teachers in Niger

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The recent attacks on teachers in some public schools in Minna the Niger State capital are to be investigated by the Ministry of Homeland Security.

This is even as the Ministry of Education has also vowed to take drastic steps against students who manhandled their teachers.

THISDAY learnt that in one of the schools a student who was punished by his teacher mobilised his colleagues from outside the school compound to beat up the teacher .

It was a similar scenario in the second school and both incidents occurred within 24 hours of each other.vHowever, none of the attackers were arrested by the schools security teams.

Apparently confirming these incidents the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr Hadiza Asabe Mohammed, in a statement said: “The negative development is posing  a significant security threat in schools”.

According to the statement signed by the Information Officer in the Ministry, Jibrin Usman Kodo, the Commissioner said students attacks on teachers with dangerous weapons is attaining “ a dangerous dimension which must stop”

“The detrimental impact of such attacks on the safety and well-being of teachers, as well as the overall learning environment cannot be overemphzasized” she said adding that the “physical and emotional well-being of educators is of utmost importance and will not be compromised.”

She therefore, called on parents “to take immediate action and engage positively their children to appreciate the  importance of respecting and showing empathy to teachers and fellow students.”