Power Outage: Parents, Stakeholders Beg NSA Over Security Concerns In Yobe Girls’ College
Following rising concerns about recent suicide bombing incidents in Gwoza, Borno State, stakeholders and parents of students at Federal Government Girls’ College (FGC), Potiskum, in Yobe State, have raised an alarm over the threatening security situation currently facing in the school.
Accordingly, they are seeking intervention by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to address the power supply dispute that has seen the school remaining in darkness for some months running.
It was gathered that with contentions around alleged unpaid huge debts reaching an uncompromising height, the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) had moved in and disconnected power supply to the College despite the management’s rejecting the amount quoted by the electricity firm as its outstanding commitment.
With clearly no immediate end to the ugly face-off between both sides, some disturbed parents, who preferred anonymity, are now expressing fear the power outage has made the school vulnerable to possible attack by terrorist and other criminal groups.
Their worries are that given the terrorist activities ravaging the North-East zone over the years, especially with the resurgence of suicide bombings in the region, lack of electricity within the College poses serious danger to both the students and staff.
One of the parents, who conveyed their concerns to some reporters in Potiskum, stated thus; “We understand that the School is owing some debts to YEDC, but cutting off the power supply for months is not the solution given that such development exposes our children to danger.”
Offering further insight about their apprehension and call for the NSA’s intervention, he said; “Potiskum is still a terrorism-infested zone, and we cannot afford to take any risks.
“So, we are pleading with the NSA to step in and engage the YEDC on restoring power to the school immediately while negotiations on settling the bills continued.”
Also lending his voice to the plea, another concerned parent said; “We are urging the NSA to intervene in this matter. The school’s security is at risk, and we cannot expose our children to danger. We need the power restored, and we need it now.”
Meanwhile, an insider within the State’s security circles confirmed that the parents’ concerns are genuine given the history of terrorist attacks in the North-East geo-political region.
Pointedly, the source recalled that in 2014, a terrorist attack on Federal Government College, Buni-Yadi, resulted in the deaths of 59 students and the destruction of 24 buildings. The students were subsequently relocated to Federal Government Girls’ College, Potiskum.
Backing the stakeholders’ position, the source submitted that; “Quite unfortunately, the school, which has been hosting students from Federal Government College (FGC), Buni-Yadi, since 2014, following a devastating Boko Haran terrorist attack, is now plagued by darkness, raising concerns about the safety of the students.
As of press time, there was no official statement the School’s authorities and efforts at contacting the Principal, Hajiya Halima Sule Bello, for her reaction failed to yield results.
