Over 1,000 Pupils Kidnapped, 600 Schools Shut, 5million School children Displaced

Just months after 276 girls were kidnapped from Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State on April14 2014, the Federal Government partnered with stakeholders to set up a Safe School Initiative as a quick response to the crisis and as well as prevent a reoccurrence of the attack and kidnap of schoolchildren. But ten years after the initiative, Nigeria is still grappling with attacks on schools, as well as kidnap of pupils and students. The country is also experiencing an increase in the attack of schools across the country. GBENGA SALAU writes that the Safe Schools Initiative has failed to fly with the repercussion of increased attacks and kidnap of pupils across the country.

The Safe Schools Initiative was launched at the World Economic Forum on Africa in Nigeria in 2014, by a coalition of Nigerian business leaders, working with the UN Special Envoy for Global Education, Gordon Brown, the Global Business Coalition for Education and A World at School.

It was set up in response to the growing number of attacks on right to education, including the kidnapping of more than 200 girls at Chibok. The initiative sought to improve the protection and safety of students, family members and teachers focusing on rehabilitating the security infrastructure at schools and establishing community-orientated security concepts, transferring students from high risk areas to safe schools and providing complementary trauma counselling and providing education for internally displaced persons in camps and communities.

Of note is that the Federal Government launched the Safe Schools Fund as an initial responsewith a contribution of $10million and another $10million pledge from the private sector, with the Ministry of Finance managing the fund.

The contributions from Federal Government and private sector were to be complemented by the establishment of Nigeria Safe Schools Initiative Multi- Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) for UN support, co-financing and implementation of activities pertaining to the initiative. It seemed to have kicked-off well with some positive result because by March 2015, a total of 750 pupils were moved to boarding schools in safe parts of the country, where they were able to continue their education.

Thereafter, the project began to lose steam, an evidence of this is the recent abduction of 280 students and teachers in Kuriga, Kaduna State on March 7, 2024. This was aside the over 1400 pupils and students that have been allegedly kidnapped in Northern Nigeria since the 2014 incident in Chibok. No definite figure on the number that had been killed by their abductors, while over 200 of the pupils and students are still being held captive. As a result of these attacks, not less than 615 schools have been shut, with about 5.3 million pupils displaced. 

A renewal of the initiative in 2022 has been motion without movement when the Federal Government in December 2022 launched N144.8b Safe Schools Financing Plan with a view to protecting schools from terrorist attacks across the nation. The then Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, had stated that the plan would be implemented between 2023 and 2026.

Before April 2014 incident, attacks on schools and kidnap of pupils or students were not common in Nigeria. However, since the kidnap of 276 schoolgirls in Chibok, pupils and students have becomeregulartarget for abduction. Shockingly, it seemed governments at all levels are tolerating the bandits. 

The Zamfara State government, for instance, recently pardoned the mastermind of the abduction of more than 300 students in Katsina State in December, Auwalu Daudawa and his gang, after they claimed they had repented. Daudawa and his gang were not only pardoned, they were promised accommodation as well as assistance to improve their livelihoods.

There are other instances within states in the north, where those responsible for the kidnap of school children or attack on schools are somewhat celebrated.

Ten years after such an intentional step was launched, why the constant kidnap of pupils and attacks on schools, a Public Policy and Advocacy expert, Adewale Adeduntan, noted that insurgency and instability in certain regions, such as the Northeast and Northwest have created conducive environment for such attacks by militant groups like Boko Haram and armed bandits.

He also added that there is a lack of adequate security infrastructure and resources in many schools, making them vulnerable targets, additionally, corruption and ineffective governance have hindered the implementation of comprehensive security measures and the prosecution of perpetrators, perpetuating a cycle of violence and impunity.

Adeduntan further said social and economic factors, including poverty and lack of access to education, contribute to the vulnerability of students and exacerbate the risk of attacks on schools.

“Addressing these multifaceted challenges requires a coordinated effort involving government authorities, security agencies, civil society organisations, and communities to strengthen security measures, improve governance, and address the root causes of insecurity.”

While some applauded the initiative, some others argued that it has failed to make impact because the schools cannot be isolated from the society. So, they argued that the focus should have been on creating a safe society rather than solely on the Safe School Initiative.

Adeduntan said that the argument holds merit, because while the Safe School Initiative aimed to enhance security measures specifically within educational institutions, it is essential to recognise that schools exist within the broader context of society.

“Therefore, ensuring the safety of schools is inherently linked to creating a safe and secure environment for all members of society.
“Addressing issues such as poverty, unemployment, social inequality, and corruption is crucial for promoting overall societal stability and safety, which in turn contributes to the protection of schools and students. By adopting a holistic approach that prioritises the safety and well-being of communities, including schools, initiatives can effectively address the underlying factors that contribute to insecurity and violence.

According to him, investing in education, social services, and infrastructure not only enhances the resilience of schools but also fosters a more inclusive and equitable society where all individuals can thrive.

“Therefore, while the Safe School Initiative is valuable, efforts to create a safe society must encompass broader initiatives that address the root causes of insecurity and promote sustainable development and peacebuilding,” Adeduntan stated.

There are civil-military operations in all the states of Nigeria, aside from the police and civil defence corps, yet these schools are constantly being attacked with some claiming security agencies are complicit.

Those pushing this narrative argued that bandits and kidnappers attack schools and abduct pupils and students in an operation that take hours including moving the kidnapped pupils across locations for hours, yet the military operations usually do not show up until the bandits have left and out of sight with a huge number of pupils abducted.

For instance, after the Chibok incident, the frequency and statistics of the abduction of school children were disheartening: 110 Dapchi School girls on February 19, 2018; were kidnapped; 303 Kankara Boys, Katsina (December 11, 2020);80 Islamic school students (December 19, 2020),41 pupilsin Kagara, Niger State (February 17, 2021); 317 Femalein Zamfara State (February 26, 2021); 39 College of Forestry, Afaka, Kaduna (March 11, 2021); 20 Greenfield University students (April 20, 2021);and 96 students of Government College, BirninYauri, Kebbion June 17 2021.

Adeduntan said the notion that security agencies might be collaborating or complicit in the attacks on schools is deeply troubling and raises significant concerns about the integrity and effectiveness of security operations in Nigeria.

He noted that while civil-military operations are indeed conducted across all states to address security challenges, the persistent attacks on schools suggest systemic failures and potential gaps in security protocols.

Watchers of events and political commentators are of the opinion that the allegations of security agencies’ involvement in attacks on schools must be thoroughly investigated and addressed with urgency and transparency.

“Any evidence of collusion or negligence among security personnel must be met with swift disciplinary action and legal consequences to uphold accountability and restore public trust.”

For the public policy expert, Adedutan, “the safety and security of schools and students should be paramount, and all stakeholders, including government authorities, security agencies, civil society organisations, and communities, must work together to enhance security measures, strengthen intelligence gathering, and ensure the protection of educational institutions.

“Addressing the root causes of insecurity, including poverty, social inequality, and insurgency, is also crucial for creating conducive environment for safe schools. By fostering collaboration, accountability, and a commitment to protecting schools and students, Nigeria can mitigate the risk of attacks and create a safer and more resilient educational system for all.”

He also noted that the persistent attacks on schools and the apparent inability of military operations to effectively prevent or respond to these incidents raise serious questions about the adequacy and efficacy of current security strategies.

Programme Manager, Civil Society Action Coalition on Education For All (CSACEFA), Damian-Mary Adeleke, said it is a big shame that children are being used as puns, shields or baits by non-state armed groups.

He said that 10 years after the Safe School Initiative, the attacks are still on maybe because the schools are porous and no effective security architecture within the school premises.

Adeleke maintained that the initiative is not a wrong one but rather a right step in the right direction, though proper implementation of the initiative might be the issue. He, however, noted that the safe school declaration now talks about the whole society, ensuring that the school environment not just the school within the immediate environment but the communities that make up the schools are well protected.

“There is a whole lot of work now being done with the whole security architecture. I don’t want to allude to the fact that the military are complicit with these kidnappings because I wouldn’t ascribe that the military are doing it.

“Even among the military they will tell us that you cannot rule out the bad elements within them. The military needs to sit up and ensure that if there is anybody within them, that is perpetrating such havoc, then such person should be decisively dealt with.

“It is a pity that we have military formations everywhere especially the armies, we see them block roads but it is surprising to say that these people don’t go by the major road.

“The Police are supposed to be the first point of response and if it overwhelms, then they can now call on the Nigerian army to support them, but that has not been the case, with the Police not able to provide the needed protect within the communities and for the schools and its pupils.”

Adeleke, however, argued that the police might have been limited by underfunding. “I have seen so many police vehicles broken down, been towed to their stations and they don’t have power or fuel to even run a generator within the station.

“So, if they said they don’t have logistics that may be true because from what I heard from one of the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) the allocation that goes to them in a month isn’t up to N20,000 to run a whole police station. And how do you expect them to go on patrol, fuel their vehicle? However, it is important to note that the situation within the country is not worth being proud of.”
To Colonel Hassan Stan-Lebo(retd), the country is still grappling with incessant attacks on schools and kidnap of pupils and students because the nation has failed to implement the Gordon Banks Safe School Protocol handed over to Nigeria years back.

He stated that the Safe School project contains a set of protocol on school safety ranging from protective wall fencing, lighting, access, security, visitations, pick-up arrangements among others.

“Unfortunately, like it is with us only few private schools have so far implemented it. As for government public schools, the response has remained extremely poor. The general impression I make of all these is that our enforcement regime is weak. We haven’t made up our mind to implement this yet.

“With the present situation where successive administrations show a lack of political will to fight terrorism and banditry, schools have become vulnerable to all forms of attacks and kidnapping. Most affected are schools located in ungoverned spaces in rural and deprived parts of Nigeria. Adequate protection plan by the security agencies would be required.  Citizen’s participation by way of community buy-in would also be necessary.”

On the argument that the initiative should have been a safe society which should have taken care of the schools, Stan-Labo maintained that nothing is wrong with the initiative, as it came at a time the country badly needed solutions to the state of insecurity.

“If we along the line discover some inherent shortfall in capacity, what decisive steps have we taken all these years to ensure it provides for a safe society? The bottom line is that our present security challenge is coming at a time when Nigeria appears lacking in the right leadership to confront it head-on.”

On the postulation that there are military operations in virtually all the states principally to check activities like this, yet bandits and kidnappers attack schools and abduct pupils and students in an operation that take hours including moving the victims across locations for hours, Stan-Labo said in view of the vulnerability emanating from the non-implementation of the Safe School project protocols, banditry and kidnapping would be on the increase. 

“The attackers get more emboldened reading through your weakness and indecisiveness. Our reluctance at engaging technology in the tracking of kidnappers and bandits has not helped matters either. How much collaboration have we forged with countries that have long history fighting terrorism, banditry or kidnapping.

“A good number of these countries engage what is called the Geotagging technique, which could be applied in tracking down communication by terrorists and kidnappers. Each time a kidnapper uses a phone to communicate, the device connects to nearby cell towers, which leaves a digital footprint. Modern smartphones, often used by kidnappers, have built-in GPS capabilities, which further enhances the accuracy of location tracking. Geotagging utilizes this data to pinpoint the location of the phone.

“Many countries have used this method to locate, apprehend, and eliminate kidnapping rings. For example, in Colombia, a country once notorious for kidnappings, security agencies have successfully employed geotagging. Mexico’s adoption of advanced geotagging techniques in collaboration with the United States has led to several high-profile successes. 

“The technology was pivotal in dismantling a notorious kidnapping ring in Mexico City. This shows the potential of cross-border technological cooperation, and Nigeria can replicate this with its neighbours,” Stan-Labo stated.

Also speaking, a Peace and Conflict Expert, Dr Fortune Afatakpa, said that there has not been impact since the launch of the Safe School Initiatives due to the lack of political will and the politicisation of security and pre-bendal exploitation of conflict economy.
  
Afatakpa, who is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Nottingham, said safe society should be the focus and not safe school.  He added that focusing solely on schools and leaving the larger society unattended to is majoring on the minor and minoring the major.
  
On schools still being attacked and pupils kidnapped despite the several military civil operations and other security agencies across the states, Afatakpa stated that the country has not fully framed the issue as a nation.
  
“We have a grossly compromised society. All sectors are affected. And that is what is playing out. Primarily, the army is not supposed to be involved in internal security operations.”  He, however, said that the military should not be blamed because they are over stretched.
   
“How equipped are they? Warfare has gone beyond kinetic engagement. The government should look beyond the primary and secondary parties. They should use credible intelligence to fish out the shadow parties. There are fifth columns within our system and they should be fished out.”
 
The Guardian gathered that while military operations are essential for addressing security threats, their effectiveness in protecting schools and students from banditry and kidnappings is questionable given the continued occurrence of such attacks.

“Rather than outrightly doing away with military operations, it may be more constructive to reassess and enhance the coordination, intelligence gathering, and response mechanisms of security forces. This could involve improving communication between security agencies, increasing surveillance and patrols in vulnerable areas, and deploying rapid response teams equipped to intervene swiftly in the event of an attack.

“Additionally, addressing the root causes of insecurity, such as poverty, social inequality, and lack of governance, is crucial for long-term security and stability. Investing in education, social services, and community development can help address the underlying grievances that fuel banditry and kidnappings, ultimately reducing the vulnerability of schools and students.

“Ultimately, a comprehensive approach that combines effective security measures with efforts to address the root causes of insecurity is necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of schools and students in Nigeria.

“Military operations in Nigeria to stem insecurity face several challenges, including inadequate coordination among security agencies, the complexity of insurgency tactics, allegations of corruption and complicity within the security forces, resource constraints, and concerns about human rights abuses.”

Adeduntan observed that these factors hinder the effectiveness of military operations and contribute to the persistence of insecurity in various parts of the country.

He, however, argued that addressing these challenges requires comprehensive reforms, including improved coordination, increased transparency and accountability, enhanced resource allocation, and a commitment to upholding human rights principles, to ensure the success of military efforts in restoring security and stability in Nigeria.