Nigeria cannot build safe schools in unsafe communities
Summary
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu welcomed the rescue of 39 pupils and six teachers held captive for 56 days after being abducted by gunmen. Despite the Safe Schools Initiative aimed at protecting students since 2014, attacks on schools and kidnappings continue, showing ongoing security problems beyond the school grounds.Key Facts
- On May 15, gunmen abducted 39 pupils and six teachers from three schools in Oyo State, Nigeria; they were held for 56 days before being rescued.
- The Safe Schools Initiative (SSI) began in 2014 after Boko Haram kidnapped 276 schoolgirls in Chibok, to make schools safer.
- SSI includes measures like school fencing, security guards, early-warning systems, and support for survivors.
- SSI has expanded to all 36 Nigerian states and the Federal Capital Territory, but has not fully prevented attacks or kidnappings.
- Over 42,000 schools in northern Nigeria still lack perimeter fencing despite SSI funding.
- There are concerns about mismanagement or misuse of the $106 million funds allocated to SSI.
- Thousands of students have been abducted in Nigeria since 2014; at least 603 were taken in mass attacks from March 2024 to May 2026.
- Some communities have closed schools due to insecurity, such as Kebbi State, where schools remain closed until safety improves.
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