This image above shows school children returned by security personnel after their abduction in Borno State Nigeria.
30 June, 2026.
It is high time for schools in Nigeria to be recognized and protected as critical national infrastructure, just like oil pipelines and other strategic national assets.
The alarming increase in attacks on civilian schools, particularly those attended by children, is deeply disturbing. These attacks are not merely assaults on educational institutions; they are deliberate attacks on education, literacy, and the future of our nation.
The continued neglect of this growing security threat by relevant stakeholders is a clear indication that schools at every level must be accorded the same level of protection as other critical national infrastructure. Regardless of the ideology or motive behind these attacks, Nigeria can no longer afford to treat the safety of students, teachers, and other school personnel as a secondary concern.
A mini Joint Task Force (JTF) security unit should be established in schools across the country to provide visible security, deter attacks, and ensure a rapid response to any emerging threats.
Considering Nigeria's large population, the recruitment of more security personnel, supported by adequate funding for salaries, welfare, training, and operational logistics, is both necessary and achievable. Furthermore, recovered proceeds from financial crimes should be invested significantly in improving the welfare and operational capacity of security personnel.
Community and family sensitization against terrorism, violent extremism, and other forms of insecurity should be intensified. In addition, security education should be made a compulsory part of the curriculum at all levels of education, with lessons tailored to the age and educational level of learners.
Until schools are officially recognized and protected as critical national infrastructure, perpetrators of these dastardly acts will continue to exploit them as soft targets due to inadequate security.
Governors across the federation should also see the establishment of state police as an opportunity to strengthen the protection of vulnerable critical infrastructure, especially schools, through community-based policing, intelligence gathering, and rapid response mechanisms.
Finally, the high level of security deployment, coordination, and operational readiness often witnessed during elections demonstrates that Nigeria has the capacity to protect its citizens and strategic assets when it chooses to do so. The same commitment, manpower, and resources should be deployed to safeguard schools, where harmless, peaceful, and conducive learning environments must be preserved for the benefit of future generations.
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