School attacks, abductions: FG moves to end ‘Knee-Jerk’ security response

2026-02-11 - 14:18

...As NSCDC Says 60,000 Nigerian Schools Lack Basic Security Infrastructure By Joseph Erunke ABUJA — The Federal Government has announced a comprehensive plan to strengthen security in schools across the country, pledging to overhaul the Safe Schools Initiative in collaboration with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). This follows revelations that more than 60,000 of the nation’s schools lack adequate security infrastructure. Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made the announcement on Wednesday during a visit to the NSCDC Commandant-General, Ahmed Audi, in Abuja, where both officials reviewed the country’s school security framework. Alausa declared that the era of reactive responses to school attacks was over, stating that the government would replace “knee-jerk measures” with a sustained and structured security presence, particularly in vulnerable communities. “We will move from knee-jerk responses to a continuous security presence, especially in vulnerable schools. Our children must remain safe in school, and this administration is committed to providing the resources and structure required,” he said. The minister stressed that attacks and abductions in schools were unacceptable and reaffirmed zero tolerance for assaults on educational institutions nationwide. He added that protecting pupils is a shared responsibility involving government, security agencies, and host communities. As part of the renewed strategy, Alausa announced the establishment of a dedicated Safe Schools Department within the Federal Ministry of Education to coordinate national efforts, strengthen collaboration with security agencies, and ensure consistent implementation of safety measures. He said technology would be integrated into the new framework, including the deployment of panic buttons and alert systems linked directly to security command centres to enable rapid emergency response. To address persistent funding challenges that have hindered previous efforts, the minister disclosed that the government is exploring sustainable financing mechanisms to ensure uninterrupted funding for school security, independent of delays in budgetary releases. Alausa formally designated the NSCDC as the lead agency for school protection, noting that clearer operational coordination would replace what he described as fragmented and reactive security arrangements. Highlighting the scale of the challenge, NSCDC Commandant-General Ahmed Audi revealed that a nationwide vulnerability assessment showed that over 60,000 out of approximately 81,000 schools across the country are “porous” and lack basic security features such as perimeter fencing or security personnel. “These schools are porous in the sense that there is no presence of security personnel or perimeter fencing. That gave us a guide on how to develop our operational strategy for mutual security and safety in schools,” Audi said. He noted that the findings had been submitted to the Ministry of Education to guide policy decisions and targeted interventions. Despite the grim statistics, Audi said specialised Safe Schools Protection Squads — including female response units and community-based security structures — had helped prevent more than 110 potential threats against schools nationwide. “The Safe Schools Protection Squad and community engagement initiatives have significantly strengthened intelligence gathering and emergency response,” he said. However, he acknowledged that inadequate funding remains a major obstacle, revealing that only a fraction of the required resources has been released. Describing operations under current financial constraints as challenging, Audi assured the minister of the corps’ readiness to deepen collaboration with the Education Ministry to ensure safer learning environments nationwide. With tens of thousands of schools still exposed, the success of the renewed Safe Schools Initiative will depend largely on effective coordination, sustained funding, and strengthened on-ground security presence to protect millions of Nigerian children.