Zamfara stakeholders want access to schools controlled after ‘desecration’

Hundreds of public school teachers, parents and pupils in Gusau, Zamfara State, were reportedly thrown into confusion after unidentified persons defiled and left the pages of the Holy Qur’an on the premises of a primary school. No one has been held responsible for the action but many people are of the belief that intruders gained […]

Hundreds of public school teachers, parents and pupils in Gusau, Zamfara State, were reportedly thrown into confusion after unidentified persons defiled and left the pages of the Holy Qur’an on the premises of a primary school.

No one has been held responsible for the action but many people are of the belief that intruders gained access into the school premises after closing hours and carried out the dastardly act.

The stakeholders are therefore of the view that access to school premises be controlled to bar unlawful persons from gaining entry.

Authorities in the state have been contending with the recurring incidences of ‘Qur’an desecration’ in public schools in the last couple of years. In fact, in some instances, pages of the holy book were said to have been defaced and abandoned in school toilets.

Latest in the series of the desecration cases was when the pages of the holy book were found in a public primary school in Gusau. The incident elicited condemnation from followers of different religions across the state and even beyond with calls on the authorities to unearth the perpetrators and get them to face justice.

In a swift response, the government suspended all staff of the school and launched an official inquiry.

Before now, to help allay fears of parents of children at public schools, the previous administration instructed a security agency to fish out those behind similar acts which led to the arrest of a local government chairman, a councillor and a 12-year-old boy. The suspects were questioned and taken to a Shari’a court to face charges.

Public institutions including Danturai Primary School, Tankin Ruwa in Sabon Gari, State Library, Farida General Hospital and Rabi’a Jumaat Mosque among others, and recently Shattima Primary School, all in  Gusau  metropolis, were in the spotlight after mutilated pages of the Qur’an were found in their toilets.

Daily Trust’s reporter who visited Shattima School, where the recent incident happened, found it under lock and key with many security guards posted there.

Meanwhile, teachers in the state are calling for more vigilance and security in schools. They are also canvassing for installation of stronger doors in classrooms and toilets.

A teacher who spoke anonymously said many parents were scared of allowing their kids to attend classes in schools where the incidents happened, adding that the authorities must take measures to help douse public anxiety.

“Those carrying out the profane acts are doing it for mere worldly gains, otherwise how can people in their right mind place a holy book in the toilet. people should be very careful not to incur Allah’s wrath, because when it comes it won’t spare anybody – the culprits and innocent people,” the teacher said.

“The government should ensure that public schools are well protected. They should be secured; with security personnel attached to all entry and exit points. This will help prevent the impious minds from committing crimes in the schools,” he added.

Another teacher who also craved anonymity said schools without perimeter fences should be fenced and provided with security guards, adding that stronger doors should be provided in the buildings.

“We have to be on our guard and someone should be sent to see the condition of school toilets immediately after being used. This is to ensure effective monitoring of such places,” he said.

Also, a teacher in one of the affected schools wondered why school toilets have become the main target for the ‘evil acts.’

“This is really very scary; our schools have now become the focal point in the whole issue and people have started to express unnecessary suspicions. It is really a very disturbing trend,” he said.

He said the closure of schools after the incident could cause tension and fear among pupils and eventually affect their academic performance.

Shortly after the incident at Shattima Primary School, Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle directed for the immediate suspension of all staff of the school.

The governor, who spoke through his Director General Press Affairs, Yusuf Idris, also ordered the indefinite closure of the school and directed the state Universal Basic Education Board to immediately recruit and post three additional security men to all public primary schools in Gusau, the state capital.

The governor then asked security agencies and relevant Shari’a implementation bodies to immediately set up a committee that would investigate the matter, promising to deal with any body found to have a hand in any of the incidents.

He promised to ensure tolerance and peaceful coexistence, adding that his administration would not allow cultists defame holy books for their selfish, worldly gains.

He called on the people, especially those in the state capital, to be at alert and raise alarm against all those perpetrating any bad behavior so that government can take appropriate action against them.

The governor said it was shocking that copies of the Holy Qur’an were desecrated in schools and pledged to combat threats to pupils by enhancing school security.

Governor Matawalle also called on religious scholars to continue to enlighten and preach against unlawful acts.