The prevailing peace in Abuja, the nation’s capital, was shattered recently by a bomb explosion at Tsangagyar Sani Uthman Islamiya School in Kuchibuyi Village, Bwari Area Council.
Until this ugly incident, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had experienced tremendous peace as the new administration and security agencies took the battle to the doorsteps of criminals who had hitherto operated freely.
The Nyesom Wike-led administration has massively supported the security agencies, especially the police, with logistics and vital communications equipment that has given them the upper hand over criminal elements who had laid siege to the nation’s capital.
Prior to this massive onslaught, Abuja had almost become a den of robbers, especially the dreaded “One Chance” criminals who specialised in robbing passengers of their possessions. Terrorists, kidnappers, and touts of all kinds roamed freely. The situation was so dire that even military personnel, especially soldiers, were not spared as criminals attacked them at checkpoints and other locations.
The situation assumed horrifying dimensions until the Wike administration took action and changed the narrative. Today, Abuja is relatively safe and secure.
Residents now go about their normal lives without fear of being attacked, abducted, or killed by criminals. Even touts who were molesting motorists, seizing their vehicles, and imposing illegal fines have been flushed out of the FCT.
It is against this backdrop that we, as a newspaper, are disturbed by the recent bomb explosion in the Islamiya School in the Kuchibuyi area of the FCT.
Although we commend the prompt intervention of the police in the incident, we are compelled to appeal to the FCT minister to take special interest in the case.
The tragic incident occurred on January 6, 2025, at 11 am at the school. The police’s preliminary investigation reveals that three men from Katsina visited the owner of the school, Mallam Adamu Ashimu, before the explosion occurred.
These visitors are suspected to have brought the explosive device to the school. The police reported that two of the men died in the explosion while tampering with the improvised explosive device (IED) on the school veranda, while the third man and a female trader sustained severe injuries from the blast.
This attack echoes the traumatic history of Boko Haram’s assault on education. These terrorists have repeatedly targeted schools, killing students through bombings, kidnappings, and even forcing children into becoming suicide bombers. In 2014, an attack on the College of Science and Hygiene in Kano claimed eight lives, while a bomb at a school assembly in Potiskum, Yobe State, killed over 46 students.
In our view, the recent bomb explosion at the Abuja school is a stark reminder of the threat to our future. While we welcome the condemnation of this heinous act, we strongly believe that only an independent and transparent probe of the incident can unravel the truth.
While we do not doubt the capacity of the FCT Police Command to unmask everyone behind this incident and bring them to justice, we would prefer an independent probe panel.
This panel’s mandate should include a comprehensive investigation of the activities, operations, and owners of private conventional and non-conventional primary and secondary schools in the FCT.
The panel should also examine the security arrangements in both public and private schools and recommend minimum security standards that must be met by operators.
A database of profiles of the owners and staff of such schools should be compiled and submitted to the security agencies, whose personnel should regularly monitor and enforce the standards set.
As the police continue their investigation, we appeal to the FCT authorities and state governments to take special interest in the security of schools in their jurisdictions. The present arrangement and indifference to what happens in schools attended by the underprivileged is no longer acceptable.
These tragic occurrences are not only a violation of children’s rights but also a threat to the very fabric of our society. Education is the cornerstone of any nation’s development, and by targeting schools, these criminals seek to undermine the country’s collective future.
We condemn this latest incident in the strongest possible terms and demand that those responsible be brought to justice. However, condemnation alone is not enough.
The FCT authorities must take immediate action to increase security presence around schools, particularly in areas prone to attacks. The authorities should also provide adequate funding for security personnel, infrastructure, and equipment.
They must also address the root causes of the explosion. What was the mission of these three strange men at the school? Did they use the school as a base to attack a particular target? The owner of the school certainly has questions to answer.
The future of our nation depends on the safety and well-being of our children. The government and other stakeholders owe it to them to create a secure and peaceful environment in which to learn and grow. We must act now to prevent such incidents and ensure that schools remain havens for learning and development.
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