Abductions: Teachers, principals demand urgent action on school safety

Education stakeholders on Wednesday raised concerns over the growing insecurity in schools across the country, urging governments at all levels to take urgent steps to protect teachers and students from attacks, abductions and other forms of violence. An estimated 603 students and teachers have been kidnapped in seven mass abductions across schools in Nigeria between March 2024 and May 2026 under President Bola Tinubu, despite the N145bn Safe Schools Initiative. The stakeholders spoke during a panel session in Lagos. Among those who spoke were the Lagos State Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Gbenga Ayetoba; the Lagos State President of the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools, Olushola Masheyi; and the Lagos State Coordinator of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, Adaobi Ekwuno. They described insecurity as the most pressing challenge confronting the education sector, warning that continued attacks on schools could undermine the future of the nation’s children. In Oyo State, on May 15, armed men stormed three schools in Ahoro-Esinle and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area, abducting about 46 pupils and teachers. In Borno State, 42 pupils were kidnapped after armed groups attacked schools in Askira Uba and Chibok Local Government Areas. Speaking during the session on Wednesday, the Lagos NUT Secretary said insecurity had overtaken concerns about salaries and working conditions, noting that teachers must first be alive before they could enjoy any welfare package. He said, “We have a lot of challenges that teachers face. But the biggest challenge as we speak now is that of insecurity in our schools. That is the biggest challenge that we have right now. “When we talk of remuneration and working conditions, it is only when you are alive that you can think of that.” The union leader lamented what he described as a growing culture of disrespect and violence against teachers, alleging that some students now attack teachers with the backing of their parents. “Our schools are supposed to be a haven. Teachers’ duty is to stand before the classroom and impart knowledge. But today, students attack teachers and authorities do practically nothing about it. “You see situations where parents lead students to school to harass teachers. We have seen cases where students hire thugs to attack teachers on their way home,” he said. According to him, the situation has deteriorated beyond student misconduct to outright terrorism around schools. “It has moved from students attacking teachers to the level of terrorism aro