General Christopher Musa, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, has affirmed the military’s dedication to safeguarding educational institutions from terrorist and kidnapper threats.
An upcoming summit will introduce a standard operating procedure (SOP) to bolster the Safe Schools Initiative and prevent future attacks.
At the Abuja summit, General Musa emphasized the need for enhanced collaboration and intelligence sharing among security agencies to navigate the complex security landscape effectively.
The SOP summit aims to ensure that children can attend school without fear, reflecting the initiative’s core objective.
The success of this initiative hinges on the commitment of all stakeholders to create a secure future for the nation’s children.
The summit is set to be a pivotal moment in developing strategies for a secure educational environment, with the ultimate goal of fostering a society where every child can thrive and achieve their dreams.
General Martin Luther Agwai, the event’s special guest and former Defence Chief, echoed the timeliness of the summit, highlighting its significance in advancing national development through a secure learning environment.
“The incessant attacks on the country’s education system vis-a-vis kidnapping, abduction of pupils/students, increased activities of insurgents and general insecurity in our schools have exacerbated many factors responsible for the growing number of out-of-school children.
“It is disheartening to note that even when the abducted students are released, the trauma of the incidents remain long in their minds. A report released by SB Morgan in August 2023 revealed that about 3,620 people were abducted in over 582 kidnapping incidents in the country between July 2022 and June 2023.
”The report equally indicated that at least N5billion ransom was demanded while over N302million was identified to have been actual ransom paid for the release of victims within the period.
”The report equally noted that out of 19 educational institutions attacked, 12 representing 63 per cent were secondary schools while five per cent which represented 26 per cent were within the tertiary educational system.
”Non-formal education was also not spared from attack as about 200 students of Islamiyya School, Tegina in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State were reportedly abducted on May 30, 2021.
“Regrettably, for learners as well as teachers currently in schools, the fear of them becoming possible victims and the trauma created by having their fellow students and friends attacked is having a negative impact on the quality of education in our country,” he said.
