Progress of Safe Schools Initiative Halts in 30 States Amid Surge in Abductions
Progress of Safe Schools Initiative Halts in 30 States Amid Surge in Abductions
Despite ongoing attacks on schools nationwide, 30 states in Nigeria have yet to fully implement the Federal Government’s Safe Schools Initiative.
Launched in May 2014 in response to the Chibok abduction, the initiative initially received a $10 million pledge and later established a multi-donor trust fund coordinated with the United Nations to protect education from violence.
Since its inception, Nigeria has taken several steps: signing the Safe Schools Declaration in 2015, ratifying it in 2019, hosting the 4th Global Safe Schools Dialogue Conference in Abuja, and adopting a National Policy on Safety, Security, and Violence-Free Schools in 2021.
The programme is supported by a N144.8 billion funding plan for 2023–2026, relying on contributions from federal, state, and international donors. However, reports indicate that only a small portion of these funds has been disbursed, and state co-funding remains inconsistent.
The lack of full implementation has left schools vulnerable to attacks, discouraging many children from enrolling and increasing the number of out-of-school children, especially in northern regions.
On November 17, 2025, armed men attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, abducting 24 schoolgirls, with the vice-principal killed during the assault. The kidnapped students were released later that week.
Just days afterward, on November 21, gunmen raided St. Mary’s Catholic School in the Papiri community, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, abducting hundreds of students and staff. Officials later confirmed that 303 students and 12 teachers were taken in what has been described as one of the most severe mass kidnappings in recent memory.
These attacks occurred despite prior intelligence warnings and government directives. Authorities had ordered the closure of boarding schools in the area due to security concerns, but reports indicate that some schools reopened. Several northern states have also shut down schools as kidnappings continue.
Sources familiar with the Safe Schools Initiative revealed that many states have failed to fund the programme or establish operational offices for its implementation. An anonymous insider listed states including Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara as not fully committed.
While the Federal Capital Territory and states like Benue, Nasarawa, Katsina, Rivers, and Enugu have provided coordination centres, these facilities remain unfurnished. Essential equipment such as electronic gadgets necessary for monitoring and surveillance has not been supplied, hampering oversight efforts.
Jigawa State has reportedly donated and equipped a coordination centre, but it has yet to be activated. Assistant Commandant General Emmanuel Ocheja, who oversees the centre, confirmed the situation and emphasized the need for sustained funding. He highlighted ongoing efforts to upgrade technology, including surveillance drones and advanced command systems, but stressed that additional financial support is critical.
Ocheja called on state governments to take a more active role in protecting schools, advocating for stronger early-warning systems to detect threats before they materialize.
Recently, the federal government urged state governors to adopt and implement the Safe School Transition Plan. Hajia Halima Iliya, the National Coordinator of Financing Safe Schools Nigeria, reaffirmed the government’s commitment, noting that political will is present and announcing the approval of a new transition plan for 2026–2030 aimed at ensuring safer schools across the country.
