*Says teacher released from detention

By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo

THE Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Ikot Ekpene Branch, Akwa Ibom State, says public primary Schools shut down over alleged unlawful detention of a teacher, Mrs. Comfort
Edet Methodist Township School, by the Police would re-open on Monday, January 31, 2022.

The Union which made this known weekend in a statement signed by the Secretary of the Branch, Comrade Bassey Akpanama, said
its decision to reopen the Schools followed the release of Mrs Edet from police detention.

According to the statement entitled, “Prompt release of a teacher from Police detention: A paladin for re-opening of Schools” and
obtained by Sunday Vanguard, the union advised both teachers and pupils to be security conscious in order to forestall a re-occurence of such incidence.

The statement reads: “May this serve to inform all teachers in public primary schools, in particular, and the general public, at large, that a teacher in Methodist Township School, 34 Chubb Road, Ikot Ekpene, Mrs Comfort Edet, who was unlawfully held in detention by the Officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo has been released.

“It could be recalled that the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Ikot Ekpene Branch, in a press release entitled: “Unlawful Detention of a teacher by Police officers: The Resolution of NUT” dated 26th January, 2022 had directed all teachers/pupils in public primary schools in Ikot Ekpene LGA to embark on operation ‘sit – at – home’ following the expiration of the 48 hours ultimatum given to Educational Stakeholders and Security Agencies until the innocent teacher is set free from police detention.

” Interestingly, the teacher was released free of charge within 24 hours from the moment schools were shut down.

“By this development, NUT Ikot Ekpene Branch wishes to state that from Monday, 31st January, 2022, all public primary schools will be opened for normal academic activities.

“While teachers/pupils are expected to be in their respective schools, they are equally advised to device proactive measures and be security conscious in their schools’ premises in order to forestall impending re-occurence of such incidence.

“NUT wishes to use this medium to warn, in very strong terms, some of the arrant and belligerent police officers to be guided by the ethics of the NPF while discharging their official duties as NUT will neither sit tight nor fold Its arms in complacency and watch them taking laws into their hands”

It could be recalled that the Union had in a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday January 27, alerted the public of its resolution that all teachers/pupils in Ikot Ekpene should observe a Sit-at-Home action pending the teacher’s release from police detention.
.

The teacher who is also a nursing mother was detained by the Police for her alleged involvement in the abduction of the pupil from the School last week.

Meanwhile the 4-year-old girl child who was abducted on January, 18, 2022, after school dismissal was yet to be found or rescued by security agencies as at the time of filing this report.

But investigation revealed that the NUT has concluded plan to file a case through its Legal Adviser, demanding that relevant security agencies should ensure that the pupil was rescued soon.