Nigeria's Urgent Need to Safeguard Schools from Attacks
The theme for this year's International Day to Protect Education from Attack, marked on September 9, is "Can Education Survive Attack: The Resilience of Human Communities." This theme resonates deeply in Nigeria as schools prepare to reopen for the 2026/2027 academic session. In a country where children are frequently abducted from schools, this occasion serves as a painful reminder of a significant national failure. A government that cannot ensure the safety of children in classrooms and hostels is neglecting one of its most fundamental responsibilities.
Schools should be sanctuaries of learning, not hunting grounds for terrorists and bandits who exploit students and teachers for ransom, propaganda, and psychological warfare. The Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack reported at least 8,566 attacks on educational institutions worldwide in 2024 and 2025, marking a more than 40 percent increase compared to the previous two years. These attacks have harmed at least 10,600 students, teachers, and education personnel, making Nigeria's situation particularly poignant within this global crisis.
In Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, only 56 out of 113 primary schools were operational as of late August 2026, while approximately 80 students abducted during attacks in May and June remain missing. In several vulnerable communities, insecurity has forced schools to close entirely. The memories of Chibok, Dapchi, and Kankara still haunt the nation, yet the attacks persist. On November 17, 2025, gunmen abducted 25 schoolgirls from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, after killing the vice-principal. Just four days later, 303 students and 12 teachers were taken from St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State. These incidents highlight a continuous failure to secure vulnerable learning environments.
Impact of Attacks on Education Access
As a result, parents are increasingly hesitant to send their children to school, and teachers are reluctant to accept postings in high-risk areas. This leads to school closures, disrupted learning, and many children never returning to education. UNICEF has warned that attacks on schools and the abduction of teachers and students are causing frequent closures, preventing hundreds of thousands of Nigerian children from receiving consistent education. Although Nigeria endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration in May 2015 and developed a National Policy on Safety, Security, and Violence-Free Schools, these commitments cannot protect children without effective implementation.
Case Closed
To address this crisis, the government must provide adequate physical protection for vulnerable schools, implement intelligence-led surveillance, establish emergency communication systems, and create rapid-response mechanisms. Communities should be integrated into security arrangements, and boarding schools in high-risk areas require special protection, controlled access, and regularly tested evacuation plans. Education is not a luxury that can wait until Nigeria becomes secure; it is a vital national security instrument. Each school closed by terrorists or bandits represents a victory for those who wish to keep Nigeria's children uneducated, impoverished, and vulnerable.
The government must recognize that protecting education extends beyond the education sector. Budgets, intelligence operations, security deployments, and emergency preparedness must reflect this priority.
