Fear has once again gripped residents of Kaduna State following a brazen attack by the notorious Boko Haram insurgents on a government-backed school construction site in Zaria, one of the LGA of the state.
The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, appears to be a deliberate effort by the insurgent group to halt educational development in northern Nigeria.
The targeted site is part of a major educational infrastructure project initiated by the central bank of Nigeria as an intervention towards the education development in Kaduna State, aimed at expanding access to education across the state.
According to eyewitnesses and residents, the assailants stormed the site with firearms and explosives, vandalizing construction materials and destroying billboards bearing the company’s name—Morgan Omonitan & Abe Limited, a popular civil and structural engineering company in the country, contracted to carry out the project.
“They came with full force, and it was clear they were not just attacking randomly,” said a terrified resident who witnessed the chaos.
“They specifically removed the name of the company from the billboard and left a warning saying the company should leave the North or expect more attacks.”
Officials of Morgan Omonitan & Abe Limited, visibly shaken, confirmed the incident and expressed their growing concern for the safety of their workers. “Even with police protection, we are constantly living in fear. Our staff are on edge every day,” a company representative stated.
The motive behind the attack appears to be Boko Haram’s long-standing agenda to undermine educational advancement in the region. The group, whose name loosely translates to “Western education is forbidden,” has a history of targeting schools, teachers, and education-related projects.
Authorities have launched an investigation and stepped-up security in the area, but residents remain fearful.
As the state grapples with the aftermath, many are calling on the federal government to prioritize the protection of education infrastructure and bring the perpetrators to justice.