Rising Concern: 1,591 Students And 61 NYSC Members Kidnapped In Nigeria Since 2014....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The relentless and indiscriminate assaults on educational institutions, their students, and staff throughout Nigeria continue to raise alarm.

Since 2014 when terrorists first abducted 276 students from Chibok, Borno state, approximately 1,591 schoolchildren have been kidnapped in Nigeria.

Additionally, over the period from 2014 to October 2023, more than 61 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) fell victim to kidnappings by bandits.

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While many of the kidnapped individuals have been successfully freed unharmed, others remain in captivity, including notable cases like Leah Sharibu from the Dapchi school mass kidnapping in Yobe State, a student from Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna, students in Damishi town of Chikun local government area, Kaduna, and eight corps members abducted recently along a highway in Zamfara State, among others. Some of the Chibok girls have yet to regain their freedom.

In response to these ongoing threats, security experts, students, and other concerned parties emphasize the urgent need for the state to safeguard schools from kidnappers and bandits by fully implementing the Safe School initiative.

The Safe Schools Initiative was launched in 2014 by the federal government following the Chibok girls’ abduction. It aimed to create an environment where students in conflict areas or affected by insecurity could pursue their education without fear. This initiative, a collaboration between Nigeria, the United Nations, and global education advocates, was designed to protect schools and nurture an educated and empowered youth. It raised $30 million during its launch.

Despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s signing of the Safe Schools declaration ratification document in 2019, the dream of secure schools remains elusive, as attacks on schools, particularly in the northern region, persist, casting a shadow over the educational future of children in that region.

Nevertheless, in December 2022, the federal government launched the N144.8 billion Safe Schools Financing Plan with the aim of safeguarding schools from terrorist attacks nationwide. The plan’s implementation is slated for 2023-2026.

To address the ongoing threats to schoolchildren’s safety, security experts, students, and stakeholders suggest several measures, including:

1. Deploying well-trained security personnel with sophisticated weapons to school premises.
2. Investing in advanced security technology such as Close Circuit Television (CCTV) systems around school premises.
3. Introducing security as a subject in the education curriculum to instill security consciousness in students and teachers.
4. Ensuring schools have proper security measures, such as perimeter fencing and access control protocols.
5. Providing security personnel with necessary training, equipment, and resources.
6. Offering free education from primary to tertiary levels to reduce the number of school dropouts.
7. Creating job opportunities to address the root causes of crime and insecurity.

In light of the recent attacks on NYSC members, there are calls for the government to consider alternative service options or provide greater security for Corps members serving in vulnerable areas.

This timeline outlines the concerning trend of school abductions and NYSC member kidnappings in Nigeria, underscoring the urgency of addressing this issue and safeguarding the country’s educational institutions.