FG Directs Unity Colleges To Partner Host Communities Against Insecurity

The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, gave the directive at the 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Principals of Federal Unity Colleges in Abuja.

The meeting was held under the theme: “Nigerian Schools in the Midst of Insecurity: Building Safe, Resilient and Sustainable Learning Environments.”

Ahmad said protecting schools against banditry, insurgency, kidnapping and other security threats required more than government policies and the deployment of security personnel.

She stressed the need for principals to establish functional relationships with communities surrounding their institutions, noting that local intelligence could help identify and prevent security threats before they escalate.

The minister identified community-based intelligence as one of the four strategic pillars being pursued by the ministry to strengthen institutional safety and protect students and teachers.

“True institutional security cannot exist in a vacuum. A school must be organically connected to its host community. We expect every principal here to cultivate functional, ongoing partnerships with local traditional rulers, community leaders, youth organisations and civilian groups.

“When the community feels a deep sense of ownership over a Unity College, they become the first line of defence in identifying and neutralising potential threats before they reach the school gates,” she said.

She also urged principals to establish effective communication channels with security agencies, conduct regular safety drills for students and staff, and ensure prompt reporting of credible threats.

Ahmad described principals as frontline commanders in the government’s efforts to secure schools, saying the success of policies and security frameworks developed by the ministry depended largely on their leadership and vigilance.

“Principals, you are the field commanders in this national effort. The comprehensive policies, security frameworks and budgetary allocations we design at the ministry level in Abuja rely heavily and completely on your leadership, vigilance and daily execution to succeed,” she said.

Earlier, the Chairman of Principals of Federal Unity Colleges, Alhaji Shehu Dahiru, said school security was a collective responsibility requiring the involvement of principals, teachers, students, parents, host communities, traditional institutions, security agencies and development partners.

He called for stronger physical and operational security measures in schools, including improved perimeter protection, access control, adequate lighting, surveillance systems, emergency communication channels, early-warning mechanisms and regular security drills.

Dahiru also advocated a coordinated national mechanism for ensuring continuity of learning, particularly in colleges located in vulnerable areas, to prevent security-related disruptions from permanently affecting students’ education.

“We must build a security system in which every stakeholder understands their role in protecting our schools. No institution can guarantee the safety of its students in isolation.

“The protection of our schools is an investment in education, national development and the future of Nigerian children,” he said.

The principals’ chairman, however, urged the Federal Government to address other challenges affecting the colleges, including inadequate security arrangements, shortages of qualified teachers, insufficient funding, infrastructure deficits and staff welfare concerns.