‘Nigerian Schools Now Targets of Violence, Terror’

A non-governmental organisation, IA-Foundation, and another group, the Peace and Social Justice, have raised concerns that Nigerian schools have now become targets of violence and terror.

Recently, over 280 pupils and teachers of Government Secondary School and LEA Primary School at Kuriga, Kaduna State were abducted by bandits.

The bandits reportedly invaded the Kuriga area of the Chikun Local Government Area of the state, shooting at their victims before taking away at least 280 of the pupils and teachers from both schools.

IA-Foundation is a United Kingdom-based educational charity which was set up to reduce the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria; while PSJ-UK is a UK-based advocacy NGO of diasporas and friends of Nigeria, who are committed to peace building and social justice in Nigeria.

The NGO on Thursday disclosed that the sad realities of the current situation were contained in a report recently launched at the Jubilee Room of the House of Parliament, London, United Kingdom.

Speaking about the report, the founder of IA-Foundation, Ibironke Adeagbo, described education as the cornerstone of a nation’s development, fostering critical thinking, opportunity, and a brighter future.

Adeagbo, however, stated that the cornerstone was currently under siege, adding that schools once regarded as safe havens for learning have become targets of violence and terror.

According to her, Nigeria has been grappling with a pervasive and deeply troubling phenomenon and the alarming escalation of insecurity within its education sector over the last 10 years, since the 2014 Chibok school girl’s abduction.

She said, “Education is the cornerstone of a nation’s development, fostering critical thinking, opportunity, and a brighter future.

“However in Nigeria, this cornerstone is under siege. Schools once regarded as safe havens for learning have become targets of violence and terror.

“Over the last 10 years, since the 2014 Chibok school girl’s abduction, Nigeria has been grappling with a pervasive and deeply troubling phenomenon: the alarming escalation of insecurity within its education sector.”.

The Chief Executive Officer, PSJ-UK, Ayo Adedoyin, in his remark, noted that every year since 2014, hundreds of innocent children in primary and secondary schools across the nation are snatched away, and their dreams held hostage for ransom.

Adedoyin said children had become victims of a harrowing cycle of kidnapping and ransom demands.

According to him, many die and never return, the weight of this fear had forced numerous schools to close their doors, leaving a generation in the shadows of an uncertain future.

“Virtually, every year since 2014, hundreds of innocent children in primary and secondary schools across the nation are snatched away, their dreams held hostage for ransom.

“Children have become victims to a harrowing cycle of kidnapping and ransom demands.

“Tragically, many die and never return. The weight of this fear has forced numerous schools to close their doors, leaving a generation in the shadows of an uncertain future,” he said.

In the report, the NGO proposed recommendations aimed at safeguarding schools, restoring a sense of safety, and ensuring that every child in Nigeria has the chance to learn and thrive.

In his presentation, the Lead Speaker, and the Chief Executive Officer, Halogen Group, Wale Olaoye, said institutionalisation of education as a form of prevention and tool of personal, political and social transformation was strategically vital to the possibilities of establishing lasting peace in Nigeria.

Olaoye, who spoke on the theme, Nigeria: Illiteracy and Insecurity, suggested that comprehensive and sustained integration of educational interventions into the whole of society was more likely to yield transformative results.

He said, “Life long learning is essential to supporting the full development of the person, and nurturing capacity development throughout life to respond to emergent threats in a changing world.”