Boko Haram: Nigerian Police ask communities hosting boarding schools to be vigilant

Mr. Mba’s statement follows threats of Boko Haram attacks on two secondary schools in Benue. The Nigerian Police have asked communities hosting boarding schools across the country to be vigilant. The police said this in a statement on Sunday by its spokesperson, Frank Mba. “The Police High Command wishes to advise residents of all host communities nationwide where boarding schools are located to remain perpetually on the alert and report any suspicious movement to the appropriate authorities,” Mr. Mba said. Mr. Mba’s statement follows threats of Boko Haram attacks on two secondary schools in Benue. The threat letters, purportedly issued by persons claiming to be Boko Haram members, were sent to the Government College, Makurdi, and Mount Saint Gabriel College Makurdi. Based on the threat, Mr. Mba said, the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Abubakar, has ordered the strengthening of security in all boarding schools in and around Makurdi, the capital of Benue State. SAHARA REPORTERS stated that the Principal of Government College Makurdi, Godfrey Ugudu, revealed the plot. Speaking on Saturday Mr. Ugudu also revealed that Mount Saint Gabriel school, located directly opposite his school, also received threat of a Boko Haram invasion. “It is true that we saw two letters informing us of the intention of Boko Haram to invade our school on Friday or Monday,” Mr. Ugudu said. He also said “the letters were dated May 14, 2014, stating that they were coming either of the two days to abduct our boys, whom they would marry to the secondary school girls abducted in Chibok.” Mr. Ugudu said that while both letters were written in Pidgin English, one was slipped into a classroom, and the other into the staff room. However, he assured the over 700 pupils of the school that there is no cause to worry about their safety, because the police and the commissioner for education were immediately alerted, while the governor was also immediately provided with a report. Mr. Mba, in his statement, said the Benue State Police Command, working in conjunction with the State Ministry of Education and the affected school authorities, has strengthened surveillance in the schools and other boarding schools within Makurdi metropolis. He said the police have commenced investigations aimed at ascertaining the source and authenticity or otherwise of the hand-written letter now in possession of the police.