The Federal Government has emphasised the need for Nigerians to be vigilant to end attacks on schools and abduction of students.

The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, who stated this in an interview with The PUNCH on Monday, indicated that government could not secure every school in the country.

According to him, government has directed schools to report any security threat to the nearest security agency.

In the interview, the minister was asked what government was doing to protect schools from incessant attacks by bandits.

He responded, “Eternal vigilance is the price for security. Every nation is always concerned about the consciousness of its people. The Federal Government cannot secure every house. Everybody needs to be vigilant. We have passed this message to all our schools so that anywhere they are, if there is any threat, they know the nearest security agency to contact.”

Nwajiuba also claimed that almost all schools in the country were fenced. “Almost all the schools in Nigeria, whether private or owned by the Federal Government, are mostly all fenced, except maybe some state schools.

“As you may also be aware, even if you put up a fence, these people (bandits) have been known to come through gates.

“So, perimeter fencing, by themselves, are not too effective. The security consciousness is the thing. If you hear where some of them are being held, you will know that it is a question of self-consciousness and communities informing officials on time.” (The PUNCH)