El-Rufai declares state of emergency on education, pardons six prisoners

Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State on Thursday declared a state of emergency on education as he also granted pardon to five prisoners awaiting execution as an exercise of his executive powers to mark Nigeria’s 55th Independence Day celebration.

The governor also pardoned six other prisoners, who were serving various jail terms at the Kaduna Convict Prison.

The governor, in the spirit of Independence celebration, has declared a state of emergency in the education sector of the state, saying Kaduna State stands as one of the backward state in education.

‎As the nation is being liberated there was needed to also free the people by making the light of quality education accessible to all, he said.

‎According to him, “Education is freedom from want and disease” The provision of free basic education in decent schools and with skilled teachers is one of the priorities this government will accomplish in its four-year term. ‎

‎‎”We have spent the past few months planning school repairs, the provision of school furniture and the training of teachers. Today, we move to declare a state of emergency in education. We ask for your support as we begin to implement extraordinary measures in the educational sector.

“Tomorrow by God’s Grace, the commissioner of education, science and technology will announce the raft of measures that will be taken to ensure that our schools’ infrastructure, tools and teacher quality are improved significantly within the next six weeks.

“We are determined that one legacy of the rebirth of our country will be the restoration of education as a tool to free our people from the fetters of ignorance.‎‎”

Speaking at the Independence anniversary parade held at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in the state capital, el-Rufai said he pardoned the prisoners based on recommendations from the State Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy, and also based on their good behaviour, while others were released due to ill health.

He advises the pardoned prisoners to be of good behaviour as they re-integrate into the society, warning that government would not tolerate any form of crime and threats to security in the state.

The governor urged Nigerians to always support the present administration at both the state and federal levels, and to also pray for those who were staking their lives for the unity and progress of the country.

He also noted that the provision of free basic education and reviving the sector would be one of the priorities of his administration in its four-year term.

The 55th Independence Day celebration witnessed the presence of traditional rulers, religious leaders and heads of security agencies in the state.

For over four years, Kaduna has not marked previous Independence anniversaries due to the Boko Haram security challenge.