Safe Schools Initiative Falters As Attacks Persist

The renewed wave of kidnappings, in which students, teachers and administrators are violently taken, has once again raised questions about what has gone wrong with the Safe School Initiative and why the country appears unable to safeguard its children.

The latest attack on a Kebbi school, occurring barely a day after International Students’ Day, has drawn outrage from students’ unions and other stakeholders nationwide. In the incident, gunmen abducted 25 female students and killed the vice-principal of a girls’ boarding school in Kebbi State.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and parents, in an interview with LEADERSHIP Weekend, condemned the incident as both unfortunate and satanic.

They noted that the date should have been one on which all Nigerian students should be able to rejoice, reflect on the educational sector and address challenges.

UNICEF also called on relevant stakeholders to continue efforts to implement the Safe Schools Declaration in Nigeria.

The Safe Schools Initiative, launched at the World Economic Forum on Africa in 2014, began with $10 million from the federal government and another $10 million from the private sector, later supported by a planned multi-donor trust fund.

Early progress included the relocation of 750 pupils to safer schools by 2015 and the commencement of rehabilitation works in targeted areas.

However, momentum collapsed soon after. There is no comprehensive public record of how much of the initial fund was fully utilised, nor a breakdown of disbursement to states.

Analysts point to bureaucracy, weak monitoring and political turnover as key factors that stalled the initiative.

The renewed National Plan on Financing Safe Schools (2023–2026), launched in December 2022, earmarked N144.8 billion to protect schools over four years. This includes over N32.58bn in 2023, N36.98bn in 2024, N37.15bn in 2025 and N38.03bn in 2026. Yet, in 2023, the federal government released only N15bn, leaving the rest to be sourced from states, donors and private partners.

Despite the huge funds, attacks persist. According to UNICEF, over 1,680 schoolchildren have been abducted in Nigeria since the 2014 Chibok schoolgirl kidnapping. A major structural flaw, according to stakeholders has been the lack of clarity on institutional responsibility.

The National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre, created under the 2023–2026 plan, is led by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), but the Nigeria Police Force retains constitutional authority over internal security.

State governments oversee school infrastructure and are expected to provide local inputs. The military usually intervenes during mass abductions while communities are asked to supply intelligence.

This overlap has produced gaps and confusion, pointing to the absence of real-time reporting systems and sluggish deployment, leading to attacks that last hours without interception.

Students and other stakeholders emphasised that the government must use all means to ensure the students are rescued and ensure that recent changes in service chiefs translate into action rather than another national embarrassment.

Parents and other international organisations have stressed that school safety must shift from rhetoric to action.  They argue that if structural loopholes, funding leakages and political neglect persist, the cycle of fear, abduction and abandoned classrooms may again define the future of an entire generation.

Speaking on behalf of NANS, Comrade Adeyemi Samson, said it was unfortunate and satanic that such a situation occurred on International Students’ Day. He said the day should have been one where students at all levels could rejoice and reflect on the educational sector.

He added; “The story so far, where we are, and where we are hoping to be, now requires us to address challenges.

“There have been a lot of activities this week, lined up and planned, but it is so sad and pathetic that such events occurred yesterday, and the vice-principal was killed. We, as a body and an organisation, are broken. Yes, we are broken.

“We are talking about 25 students; even one injury is an injury to all. We are saddened and broken, and we are following up with the government to take critical steps to ensure this does not turn into another civil case scenario. The change in service chiefs should be used to act swiftly. This must not fail or lead to another national embarrassment. Students must be rescued.

“To the family of the vice-principal, the government should consult and support them. Even the daughter had to escape. This was someone who pledged his life in service and lost it horrifically. We call on the government and Nigerians to assist security operatives with any useful information. International organisations also need to weigh in to help address insecurity.

“This attack is a very serious alarm. Students must not be used as political tools. The Safe Schools Initiative included fencing of schools, but more needs to be done. The government should invest in CCTV cameras and ensure practical security measures are in place, especially in northern and southwestern institutions. We hope the abducted students are rescued soon and safely,” he added

In a statement on its Nigeria website, UNICEF called for stronger protection of children following the Kebbi attack.

It condemned the attack on the Government Girls School in the Maga community, which resulted in the death of the vice-principal and abduction of 25 students.

Susan Akila, UNICEF Communication Specialist, described the incident as “yet another stark reminder of the urgent need to protect children, schools and personnel.”

UNICEF urged the swift release of the abducted children and stressed that those responsible must be held accountable under national and international law.

The organisation recalled that in 2015, the Nigerian government endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration to safeguard schools and ensure students’ safe access to education during conflict. UNICEF called on all stakeholders to continue implementing it.

Some parents who spoke with our correspondent lamented the deep human toll as a result of the attacks.

According to them, repeated abductions have triggered mass withdrawals from schools, especially for girls. UNICEF data show over 18.3 million out-of-school children in Nigeria.

An Abuja-based parent, Joe Kuku, recommended digital emergency alert systems for rural schools and trained school protection units embedded in communities.

He also called for transparent dashboards showing federal and state spending, alongside psychosocial support in high-risk schools.

“Schools in rural areas should be equipped with digital alert systems and locally trained protection teams. Transparent dashboards of federal and state spending must be maintained, while providing psychosocial support in schools most at risk,” he said.