STATEMENT BY THE HON. COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION.

Dr. Augustina Godwin.  

I would like to give a quick update on what led to the death of a teacher in GDSS Model Jalingo, today.

It is with a very heavy and deeply sorrowful heart that I give this quick briefing on the death of Mr Bassey Sardauna Nkuphee. He came to school this morning as the rest of his fellow teachers to do his work.  During the inspection, he was assigned to organize one of the four groups of students near the school gate before the inspectors arrived. A former student of the school arrived with a friend and walked through the lined-up students waiting for inspection.

The deceased asked why he walked through the students instead of passing behind them. While this ex-student made his way back to follow as the deceased teacher had directed, his friend asked why he should obey and do what the deceased said.  From there commotion started and the deceased hit one of the two of them with a stick. (The former student came to the school because he wanted one of his teachers to sign his Airforce application form.  His father made a call earlier asking for assistance for his son from one of the teachers.)

When the incident got to the knowledge of the school authority, quickly called for the local Vigilante in the area to keep watch over the school until closing time. After some time of being in the school, the Vigilante left. Shortly before closing time, the deceased said he wanted to leave but he learned the boys were outside. One of the Vice Principals made several calls to get the Vigilante back but did not get a response. Some teachers decided to go with the deceased to take Keke home.  As soon as he got on the Keke, they made their way back to school not knowing the boys were hiding around the area.

The boys attacked and stabbed him. When the news got to the school, some of them quickly rushed to the emergency unit in FMC where they found their colleague in a pool of his blood.  Within a short while, they were told their colleague had passed away. Isn't it awful and heartbreaking? What a waste of precious life! 

We all need to rally around HE as we have always done to give our children quality holistic education. 

We need armed and unarmed security agents in our schools (Civil Defence/ Peace Corps) more than ever, especially around Jalingo.

The security of staff and students of Science School Jalingo and other schools has been a source of concern for us at the Ministry of Education.

.

The Security personnel involved have made some arrests and are still conducting investigations.  The corpse of the deceased has been deposited in the morgue. While I was still making calls on the matter, I saw an announcement by ASUSS executives that schools should remain closed tomorrow! This is where we are right now on this matter. I have yet to contact the ASUSS executives.

@TN