Boko Haram bombing: Yobe shuts all schools

The Yobe State Government has closed down all public and private schools in the state, following Monday’s suicide bomb attack on Government Science Secondary School, Potiskum.

The attack claimed 48 lives and injured 79 others.

The Commissioner for Education, Muhammad Lamin, said in a statement in Damaturu on Tuesday, that the closure was with immediate effect.

Mr. Lamin said that government decided to close the schools to enable it adopt more security measures to guarantee the safety of students, teachers and the school environment across the state.

Monday’s attack has been condemned both in Nigeria and by the international community. The UN, U.S., and UNICEF all released statements condemning the suicide attack by a suspected member of the Boko Haram.

Meanwhile, Alkali Jajere, who represents Yobe South Senatorial District in the Senate, has appealed for a change in strategy by security operatives to contain insurgency in the state.

Mr. Jajere, who spoke with journalists in Damaturu, said the renewed attacks on innocent people of the state called for a change in strategy in the fight against insurgency.

“The number one responsibility of government is to protect the lives and property of the citizenry; government must live up to this basic responsibility.

“We are optimistic that with the necessary support and motivation, the Nigerian security forces can defeat insurgency,” he said.
The senator urged security officials to respect the rules of engagement in their operation, and called for synergy between law enforcement agents and the public, to effectively fight insurgency.

(NAN)