Amid rising insecurity in and around educational institutions, the Nigeria Police and critical stakeholders are deploying a synergetic approach to protect pupils, teachers, and learning spaces across the country, reports Assistant News Editor PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU.
Insecurity and the crisis in education
Between 2020 and 2022, the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA) reported more than 5,000 assaults on schools, students, and educators, affecting some 22,000 individuals across 28 countries. In Nigeria, where the impact has been particularly grim, violent conflict has drastically undermined education and national growth.
A 2021 report by the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools disclosed that over 600 teachers were killed and more than 19,000 displaced between 2012 and 2016. In that same year, Save the Children Nigeria confirmed the abduction of over 1,000 students. Amnesty International, on the eighth anniversary of the Chibok girls’ abduction, stated that over 1,500 children had been kidnapped since 2014.
In Kaduna State alone, UNICEF reported 25 attacks in 2021, leading to the abduction of 1,440 pupils and the deaths of 16. In Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states, 802 schools were shut down; 497 classrooms completely destroyed; and 1,392 others damaged but deemed repairable. Between 2009 and 2020, more than 1,400 schools were destroyed in Borno State, 2,295 teachers killed, and over one million children forced out of school.
By March 2021, the growing fear of attacks led to the closure of 618 schools in Sokoto, Zamfara, Kano, Katsina, Niger, and Yobe states. This crisis has further worsened Nigeria’s out-of-school children statistics. In 2021, UNICEF estimated the number at 10.5 million, children aged between five and 14, unable to access formal education. Last year, UNICEF) said it is now 18.3 million.
From insurgent attacks in Nigeria to mass shootings in the United States and bombings in Afghanistan, schools are increasingly in the crosshairs of violence. The effects – psychological trauma, interrupted education, mass displacements – are long-lasting, further weakening community stability and national development.
A renewed commitment to school safety
To tackle this grim reality, the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, has prioritised school security through an integrated, whole-of-society model. While Nigeria signed the International Safe Schools Declaration on December 31, 2019 – joining 118 other countries – concrete implementation lagged as attacks escalated.
It was not until April 20, 2021, following a string of school abductions that the Federal Ministry of Finance convened a stakeholders’ forum in collaboration with local and international partners. The goal was to create innovative funding models at all levels of government to secure educational environments.
Six months later, Nigeria hosted the 4th International Conference on Safe Schools Declaration to mobilise further support. The result was the development of a Midterm National Plan on Financing Safe Schools (2023–2026), followed by the launch of the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools and the Minimum Standards for Safe Schools.
With the assumption of office by President Tinubu in 2023, implementation commenced in earnest. The first Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre was established and is now being replicated across states and local governments to enable swift emergency response and reliable information dissemination.
The Safe School Initiative, launched shortly thereafter, was designed to enable children in conflict zones to continue their education; to strengthen security resilience in learning communities; to integrate host communities into the school safety framework; to enhance the intelligence and response capacity of security agencies; and to provide support for survivors of attacks.
Police unveil school protection squad in Lagos
At a stakeholders’ forum in Lagos last week, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, represented by the Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) Zone 2, Adegoke Fayoade, said the Police Safe Schools Initiative was created to integrate a culture of safety into the educational system. He noted that school attacks in Nigeria reflect a broader global trend in which learning environments have become targets.
He added that substantial investments in educational infrastructure and access to quality learning must be matched with robust safety mechanisms.
“School insecurity is not only a breach of the right to education; it is a direct threat to global peace and human capital development. It challenges the global commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 4 on Quality Education and Goal 16 on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions,” Egbetokun said.
The IGP emphasised the importance of modern technology and intelligence-led policing; training programmes for educators, administrators, and security personnel; perimeter fencing for schools, especially those in remote or vulnerable locations; surveillance cameras and drones; and improved partnerships between communities and the police.
Similarly, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police (CP) Olohundare Jimoh said the need to continue to fortify the security of educational institutions was more pertinent and sacrosanct.
“At the Lagos State Command, we recognise that the protection of our schools is not just a responsibility, but a fundamental obligation that is foremost and of highest priority in our daily operations and security services.
“Our schools must remain safe havens where learning thrives without fear. This forum, coupled with the training of the Schools Protection Squad (SPS), marks a proactive step toward achieving this goal.
“The SPS initiative is designed to equip dedicated personnel with the skills, knowledge, and strategies to prevent, respond to, and nip in the bud security concerns and threats in our schools…” CP Jimoh said.
Lagos backs the initiative
Declaring the forum open, Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Tolani Ali-Balogun, noted that the initiative aligned with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda. According to him, the threat of insecurity must not prevent children from accessing education.
“We must entrench full protection against threats such as kidnapping, child trafficking, communal clashes, cultism, bullying, child abuse, and drug use,” he said.
He added that the state’s investment in school infrastructure and security continues to attract pupils and families across Nigeria. He called for greater collaboration between schools, host communities, and security agencies to pre-empt and prevent criminal activities.
The funding and strategy plan
National Coordinator for Safe School Financing, Halima Iliya, presented the framework of the Midterm National Plan, which incorporates a multi-level strategy to provide responsive security coverage for schools and host communities.
She noted that gaps persist in physical security; the absence of rapid response systems; and low awareness among school heads and administrators.
She recommended that state governments provide and equip response centres; procure vehicles and motorcycles for emergency operations; support local vigilantes, hunters, and Man O’ War groups; recruit locals for school security roles; construct perimeter fencing; and train school staff in security awareness, emergency preparedness, early warning and resilience—all with the support of the Safe Schools team.
She called for prioritised budgeting; allocation of funds to critical school safety initiatives; and the mainstreaming of the Safe Schools Programme into state and local government budgets.
“As we journey together on this noble path, we believe that every school can be made safe. Investment in education – one of the most critical components of human capital – will yield far-reaching impacts on national growth and development,” Iliya said.
Also, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Schools Protection Squad (SPS), Abayomi Shogunle, revealed that the police now operate a 24/7 emergency response centre for school-related incidents, in alignment with the National Plan on Safe Schools.
“This national plan aims to protect learners, teachers, and non-academic staff from attacks across Nigeria; reduce the number of out-of-school children; and improve the country’s Human Capital Index over time,” he said.
Eighteen states were selected for the pilot phase, and Lagos- given its educational and economic significance- was added with the approval of the IGP.
Security is everyone’s business
Guest lecturer, Prof. Oluwayemisi Obashu John, of the Department of Adult Education, stressed that early warning systems were critical to proactive school safety. She emphasised the importance of real-time intelligence, rapid response, and shared responsibility.
“Security is everyone’s business. Food vendors, parents, teachers, students, and community members must all be alert to potential threats,” she said.
To achieve safer schools, CP Jimoh stressed the importance of cooperation with critical stakeholders most of whom, he acknowledged were present at the gathering.
“We must also go beyond this, to ensure that our vision extends to fostering collaboration, building resilience, and integrating the invaluable contributions of our host communities,” he stated.
Emphasising how indispensable the stakeholders were in preventing, fighting and controlling criminality within schools, the Lagos CP urged them to adopt security-conscious policies as well as invest in safety infrastructure.
“I urge you to prioritise regular safety drills with Police SPS, create awareness programmes, and open communication channels with parents and security agencies. Together, we can build schools that are fortresses of knowledge and with utmost safety,” he told school owners, encouraging students to be vigilant and report suspicious movements or activities.
He also commended the efforts of sister security and safety agencies in complementing the Police in all areas of internal security of Lagos State.
“Your collaboration strengthens our collective resolve to secure our schools and our dear state.
Let us continue to share collective responsibility and intelligence; align with joint strategies, and work as a united front to keep our children and the generality of our communities and people safe.
“As we proceed with this forum and the training of the SPS, let us commit to actionable outcomes. Let us strengthen our security resilience through training, technology and community engagement.
“Let us integrate our host communities as active partners in this mission, and let us ensure that every child in Lagos State can learn in an environment free from fear or apprehension,” he added.
Navy pledges support
The Commander of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, Commodore Paul Nimmyel, represented by Captain I. Udoessien, pledged the Navy’s support for the safe schools initiative, particularly in riverine and coastal communities.
“Education cannot thrive in an atmosphere of fear. Protecting our schools is not just a local or state matter; it is a national priority,” he said.
He added that while the Navy’s primary focus is maritime and territorial security, it remains committed to supporting interagency collaborations and civil-military operations in vulnerable school environments.
A collective path forward
As Nigeria moves forward with a unified model to safeguard schools, hopes are high that every child – regardless of background or location – can enjoy safe, uninterrupted learning. With political will, security expertise and community involvement, the nation appears poised to make its schools sanctuaries once again.
