The shocking findings from a Save the Children International (SCI) report expose a deeply unsettling pattern of increasing school attacks and kidnappings across Nigeria. The report, titled “Education Under Attack: Review and Analysis of Attacks on Schools, Teachers, and Learners from the Kidnapping of the Chibok Girls, Borno, Nigeria, in 2014,” has disclosed that a staggering 1,683 schoolchildren fell victim to kidnapping incidents between February 2014 and December 2022.
The report paints a distressing picture of the havoc wreaked upon the nation’s education system. Approximately 70 schools bore the brunt of these attacks, resulting in the abduction of innocent children. Heartbreakingly, 184 young learners lost their lives, while 88 were left injured during these heinous acts. Furthermore, around 60 educators and school staff members were targeted, leading to 14 fatalities. Along with this horrifying toll, 25 school buildings were reduced to rubble.
The turning point was the tragic abduction of nearly 276 girls from Chibok in February 2014, a harrowing event that marked a grievous escalation in such abductions. The report also underscores a concerning shift in the geographical focus of these incidents, with the North East giving way to the North West and North Central Zones as the epicentre of violence.
Disturbingly, the report reveals that within this period, 99 schools were forced to close in Katsina State, affecting the education of 30,870 young minds. Kaduna State faced 28 school attacks, with a particularly alarming 17 incidents in Kajuru Local Government Area.
As these alarming figures continue to rise, the report has triggered urgent recommendations. These include increased investment in secure school environments, nationwide implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration (SSD), and the necessary closure of boarding facilities situated in vulnerable communities.
Mr. Famari Barro, Country Director of SCI, emphasised the crucial role of the SSD in shielding children from the horrors of abduction and violence. The SSD, a political pledge that the Federal Government endorsed in 2015, aims to guarantee the security of students, teachers, and educational facilities during times of conflict.
While acknowledging progress, particularly in the implementation of the SSD, Barro emphasised the pressing need for more comprehensive efforts to safeguard Nigeria’s children from these traumatic experiences. The establishment of the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre (NSSRCC) was lauded for its positive impact on creating safer learning environments. However, Barro highlighted that more remains to be done to protect children living in remote villages, who continue to face the spectre of violence on a daily basis.
In the face of this distressing reality, SCI’s commissioned report serves as a clarion call for intensified efforts to protect Nigeria’s children and education system. While the SSD offers a framework for action, further proactive measures and collaborative initiatives are needed to stem the tide of abductions and ensure that children can pursue their education in safety.
