Jihadists’Threat In Delta: Beef Up Security In Public Facilities, NUJ Tells Govt.

 

 

By Charles Nwabardi

 

 

Arising from the recent threats of attacks issued by suspected Fulani Jihadists in Delta State, the State Chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has called on the state government and security agencies to beef up security in public places, especially schools, police facilities and media houses, which have become soft targets for such attacks in the state and other parts of the country. 

 

This request was one of the seven points in a communique issued by the Union at the end of its Congress which held on Thursday in Asaba.

 

While urging government and security agencies to take the threat seriously, the Union advised residents of Asaba and other parts of the State to always be security conscious.

 

The journalists also called on the Delta State Government to construct permanent Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps at strategic locations to take care of people sacked from their homes annually by flood, especially parts of Oshimili South, Aniocha South, Ndokwa federal constituency, Isoko, Ughelli, Warri, Ewu, Okwagbe and other riverine communities.

 

On the newly created state universities, the Union frowned at the proposed Public Private Partnership (PPP) being recommended by the Prof. Patrick Muoboghare-led management committee for the running of the newly created universities, “as this would discourage easy access to university education by qualified indigent Deltans, thereby defeating the main purpose of establishing the universities in Anwai, Agbor and Ozoro.”

 

The Union also contended that adopting a PPP model might lead to job loss for existing academic and non-academic staff, thereby increasing the alarming rate of unemployment in the state.

 

In the same vein, the Union expressed worries over the rising wave of cultism particularly in secondary schools across the state. 

 

It  noted with disdain the attitude of some teachers who encourage the sales of hard drugs in secondary schools which gives impetus for CULTISM to thrive in the society.

 

The union therefore advised parents and guardians to monitor their children and wards seriously