Chibok Girls: Teachers Stage Protest In Anambra

L-R: Programme Officer, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom Nigeria (WILFPF), Ms Ebere Eze, National President, Mrs Joy Onyeso and Publicity Officer, Miss Ifunanya Chiakwa, addressing a news conference on Women Participation in 2015 elections in Enugu, yesterday.

The Nigeria Union of
Teachers (NUT), Anambra State chapter, yesterday staged a protest to demand the release of the over 200 Chibok school girls abducted by Boko Haram insurgents.
Addressing newsmen at the Government House, Awka, the state Chairman of the union, Mr Ifeanyi Ofodile, said Nigerians, irrespective of their tribe or religion, should unite to solve the security challenge.
“If the insurgents are allowed to succeed, they might have succeeded in taking the country back by 100 years. We are averse to the injustice and barbaric enterprise of the boko haram group.
“We, as parents, teachers and Nigerians, are here to say no to the evil perpetrated by them.”
The chairman also said that their protest was also to draw attention to the over 150 teachers who had died in several terror attacks.
“In the real sense, over 173 teachers have been sacrificed; they are also the unsung heroes of this attacks,” he said.
While commending the Federal Government and international community for their efforts at combating terrorism in the country, Ofodile said efforts should be intensified to ensure the quick release of the girls.
The teaching industry is endangered and if nothing is done, perhaps, one day, no one pupil will be found to teach in the classroom. We are concerned. We want our children to continue to be educated,” he said.
The teachers also used the occasion to pray for the quick release of the abducted girls.
No fewer than 200 teachers that participated in the exercise, carried placards some of which read: “Education is a right” and “We demand the immediate release of the abducted girls”.
Efforts by the protesting teachers to get the state government’s reaction proved abortive as no government official was present to address them.