Teachers Withdraw Services Over Death Of Colleague In Taraba

The Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, ASUSS, Taraba State Chapter, has announced the withdrawal of the services of its members from all government Secondary schools in the state after the stabbing incident that led to the death of one of their members.

Vanguard reported yesterday that a teacher of GDSS Model School, Jalingo, Mr Bassey Sardauna Nkuphee was stabbed and later bled to death after being attacked.

The State Secretary of ASUSS, Dr. Kazon Ishaku, who announced the directive said they have monitored compliance across the 16 local government areas of the state and the feedback has been positive.

He noted that teachers are moulders and builders of future generations, but the latest happening to one of their own has shown that they are now endangered species.

According to him, “What happened yesterday shocked us. He left home yesterday very healthy but by the close of work, he became a corpse.

“For us, we do not have a better way to express our pain other than to tell our members to suspend academic activities because an injury to one is an injury to all.

“Today he is the one, we do not know who it will be tomorrow. “

Meanwhile, kinsmen of the deceased teacher, Jenjo Community Development Association, JCDA, also called on the Taraba State Government to award scholarships to the children of the late teacher.

Spokesman of the group, Ezekiel Nemuel, who addressed the press Friday, said the deceased has left behind three children between the ages of 10, 8 and 5 years old.

According to him, ” We condemn in strong terms all forms of violence in schools and communities and thereby call on all security agencies to be proactive in stemming these acts.

“We also call on Taraba State Government to take responsibility for the sustenance and sponsorship of the children of the deceased up to the highest level of education.

“We also call on the Commissioner of Police to immediately arrest, investigate and prosecute all the culprits in this heinous act.”

Contacted for an update on their investigation, the spokesman of the State Police Command, SP Abdullahi Usman, said the primary suspect has been arrested.