By Chigozie Chukwuleta/ Amaka Moneke
As UNICEF in collaboration with UNIZIK FM conclude the one day students/media summit in commemoration of Chibok Girls’ abduction, school children have called on government at all levels to improve security arrangements in schools.
The one day summit held at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka had in attendance students from secondary schools and higher institutions with resource persons drawn from the academic and media including the Dean Students Affairs, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Prof. Chinonso Achebe, the Chief Safety Officer of the university Mr Ken Chukwurah, Dean of social sciences Prof. Frank-collins Okafor, Head of Mass communication Department Dr. Chioma Agbasimelo, the deputy director UNIZiK FM Prof Bentina Mathias, Prof Cornelius Ukwueze, President of the students Union Government amongst others.
The students were grouped into five panels of Royalty, Sapphire, Elite, Cinderella, and Eagles engaged in lectures, deliberations and interactive sessions of the over five hour event.
The children who relayed their concerns as regards safety and security to include poor power supply in some of the schools, uncleared bush path, theft and risk of vulnerability especially among the female students called on governments to walk their talk in terms of providing adequate security in schools.
They highlighted a lot of concerns with particular emphasis on environmental hazard, poor power, hostel portal hostility, lack of security emergency contact and even admitted to ignorance and negligence on their part.
Accordingly, the students unanimously adopted the recommendation of one of the resource persons which is to acquire social skills, self defense skills as well as properly capture student identity card which is one of the proactive measures of curbing safety threats.
The students also raised a voice in solidarity of the chibok girls abduction by urging the school management as well as the federal government to continue to infuse global safety standards such as the close circuit television (CCTV) for the benefit and safety of the students and the nation at large.
One of the student representatives Ekene Uzoegwu expressed satisfaction to have been a part of the summit because according to him his group admitted to gaining knowledge of security and safety measures even as they pledged to the slogan of “if you see something weird or unusual you say something”.
Earlier, the UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Ms Cristian Munduate, who was represented by Mr. Okezie Mkpa, said the kidnapping of the Chibok girls was a wake-up call to the severe risks Nigerian children face in their pursuit of education.
“Today, reflecting on this tragedy and other recent abductions, it is evident that our efforts to safeguard our children’s future must be amplified.
“We must address not only the symptoms, but also the root causes of this crisis. Education is a fundamental right and a crucial pathway out of poverty. Yet, for too many Nigerian children, it remains an unattainable dream.
“In the last 10 years, conflict-related violence has led to more than 1,680 children abducted, while at school and elsewhere; 180 children killed due to attacks on schools; an estimated 60 school staff kidnapped and 14 killed”, she said.
In her remarks, the Director Unizik FM Prof. Ifeoma Dunu thanked UNICEF for their choice of Unizik in the whole of the South East in hosting the anniversary.
She noted that the abduction of Chibok Girls on 14th April, 2014 changed the narrative and thus paved the way for every stakeholder which includes the students to come together to interact on how we can together make the school environment safe again.
In a paper delivered at the summit, the Dean of Students Affairs of UNIZIK, Professor Chinonso Achebe said abductions have continued in the country because there is leadership problem.
“If we have good leaders, our institutions would be properly secured. Safety costs money and there’s no amount of money spent on security that does not worth it,” he stated.
Also, the Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof Frank Collins Okafor observed that the event came at the right time when the nation is in confusion .
“It’s a pity that our schools are no longer safe with government officials keeping hands akimbo. Kidnapping has become so attractive because there’s no security in schools.
“Insecurity has thrived because of government negligence, plus the fact that suspected kidnappers have always been left off the hook as even known financiers are walking freely in the society,” Okafor said.
According to him, government is not proactive as it always waits until the abduction is done. He also identified compromise within the security forces, which he said, encourages kidnapping, as the kidnapped people pass through security checkpoints without being detected.
The moderator of one of the groups, Royalty group Mr Innocent Egwuoba, who gave a vote of thanks on behalf of the participants acknowledged the management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University led by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Charles Esimone who he said has continued to make conscious efforts to ensure that the school environment is safe for learning and habitation.
He further commended the management of UNIZiK FM under the directorship of Prof Ifeoma Dunu as well as UNICEF Enugu Field Office for such a worthy commemoration in solidarity of the chibok girls which lingers ten years on.
Comrade Egwuoba further pledged to disseminate security and safety lessons and knowledge gained to every fabric of the institution.
