Emotion, outrage greet killing of pupils

n about six months, Boko Haram insurgents have killed no fewer than 83 pupils, and this has elicited emotion and anger, writes SAMUEL AWOYINFA

A deluge of emotion and anger has trailed the killings of 43 pupils of the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State by the Boko Haram insurgents.

This is coming barely six months after the members of the sect killed another 40 students of the College of Agriculture in the town of Gujba, also in the same state in September last year.

The attacks on the schools followed a similar pattern   – many of them were killed while they were fast asleep in their hostels.

In the latest attack, the insurgents reportedly arrived at the college at about 2.0am in 11 Hilux vans.

They were said to have set locked hostels on fire, before shooting and slitting the throats of those who tried to climb out of the windows. Some were burnt alive.

Reacting to the killings, the principal, King’s College, Lagos, Mr. Oladele Olapeju, said it was unfortunate that the future generation were being wasted in this most dastardly manner.

He said, “My heartfelt sympathy goes to the parents and guardians of those children killed. It is barbaric and cruel that some people are wasting the future Nobel Laureates.”

Another educationist, Mrs. Jennifer Okoli, shared the emotions of  Olapeju, and stated that the moment children’s lives were being wasted no one was safe anymore.

She called on the Federal Government to provide security for schools, by installing surveillance cameras and posting of military men to guard the institutions.

She said, “Before they were targeting worship centres, churches and mosques, now it is the schools. The government must rise to the occasion by providing security for these children. This can be in form of surveillance cameras being installed in these schools and or the posting of military men to these schools.

“I am not talking about boarding schools alone, but day schools too.”

On his part, another educationist, Mr. Esan Oladapo, also raged with emotion, describing the killings as a callous and devilish act. He also called for the deployment of soldiers to man schools, to prevent such occurrence in the future.