Kidnapping: Safe School Project to deploy more security personnel

FIle: Safe School Project

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The Commander, National Safe Schools Response and Coordination Centre, Emmanuel Ocheja, has disclosed that more security personnel would be deployed to schools to enhance protection and neutralise potential threats.

Ocheja, in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, explained that the project also focused on building a more robust security architecture, one that integrates physical measures with intelligence-driven operations.

He said the project would deepen engagement with communities hosting schools by providing training and improving systems for sharing critical information.

“In 2026, we hope to build a more robust security architecture for schools and have more physical security presence in schools.

“State governments and other stakeholders will be more involved in areas such as collaboration, sensitisation and the establishment of Command and Control Centres.

“These centres are expected to coordinate activities in both urban and rural schools and facilitate timely communication with the project’s headquarters.”

Ocheja added that the plan included strengthening non-kinetic approaches like dialogue and preventive sensitisation, while maintaining the capacity to employ kinetic measures when necessary.

The commander also said greater collaboration with other security agencies, vigilante groups and organisations such as Man O’ War would further reinforce school safety.

The project also intends to “increase the training of teachers, principals and students on security awareness and safety tips, ensuring that school communities are better prepared to identify risks and respond to emergencies.”

Despite frequent attacks on schools nationwide, 30 states have yet to implement the Federal Government’s Safe Schools Initiative.

Launched in May 2014 after the Chibok abduction, the Safe Schools Initiative began with a $10m pledge and later a multi-donor trust fund coordinated with the United Nations to protect education from attacks.

Since then, the country has signed (2015) and ratified (2019) the Safe Schools Declaration, hosted the 4th Global SSD Conference in Abuja, and adopted a National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools in 2021.

The programme is supported by a N144.8bn financing plan (2023–2026), funded by federal, state and donor contributions. However, only a fraction of the funds has so far been released, and state co-funding remains inconsistent.

Failure to implement the initiative has left schools vulnerable to attacks, discouraging many children from attending school and worsening the number of out-of-school children, especially in the North.

On November 17, 2025, armed men attacked Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, abducting 24 students and killing the vice-principal.

Four days later, on November 21, gunmen stormed St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, abducting hundreds of pupils and staff.

Church and local authorities later confirmed that 303 students and 12 teachers were seized—one of the worst mass kidnappings in recent times.

The attack occurred despite prior intelligence warnings and government directives ordering the closure of boarding schools in the area. The school had reportedly reopened against the directive.

Several northern states have also shut down schools as kidnappings persist.

The affected states include 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.

Findings further showed that although the Federal Capital Territory, Benue, Nasarawa, Katsina, Rivers and Enugu have donated coordination centres for the programme, the facilities remain unfurnished.

Electronic equipment and other essential gadgets needed to operationalise the control and command centres have not been provided, limiting effective surveillance and oversight.

It was also reported that Jigawa State donated and equipped a coordination centre, but it has yet to be activated.

The PUNCH journalist, Gift, has over three years of experience covering elections, security and foreign affairs.

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