Chibok: 1,680 more Nigerian school children abducted in 10 years – UNICEF
ABUJA, Nigeria – As Nigeria marks a decade since the mass abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok, UNICEF is urging intensified efforts to safeguard children’s education in the country. With 90 girls still missing from the Chibok incident and recent abductions in Kaduna state, UNICEF’s call to action comes amidst ongoing challenges to ensure safe learning environments for Nigerian children.
Today, UNICEF released the ‘Minimum Standards for Safe Schools (MSSS) Monitoring Report,’ revealing concerning findings regarding the safety of schools across 10 states in Nigeria. Shockingly, only 37 per cent of schools have early warning systems in place to identify threats such as school attacks, indicating a critical gap in protecting children’s education.
Ms. Cristian Munduate, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, emphasized the urgency of addressing these challenges: “The kidnapping of the Chibok girls was a wake-up call to the severe risks our children face in their pursuit of education. Today, reflecting on this tragedy and other recent abductions, it is evident that our efforts to safeguard our children’s futures must be amplified.”
The report analyzed six result areas, uncovering significant disparities in the implementation of safe school standards across Nigerian states. While Borno State demonstrates strong commitment with a 70 per cent fulfillment of standards, states like Kaduna and Sokoto lag significantly behind, with rates as low as 25 per cent and 26 per cent, respectively.
“Disturbingly, conflict-related violence has led to over 1,680 children abducted while at school and elsewhere in the last decade,” UNICEF stated.
Additionally, attacks on schools have resulted in the deaths of 180 children and the abduction of more than 60 school staff, according to verified UN reports.
The threat of abduction is severely affecting children’s learning, with over one million children afraid to return to school as of 2021, and approximately 11,500 schools closed due to attacks in 2020.
UNICEF is calling on the government, partners, and the international community to take decisive action to ensure all schools have the resources and tools to implement safe school standards fully. This includes addressing critical gaps in infrastructure, preparedness for natural disasters and conflicts, and comprehensive approaches to violence against children.
The organization is working closely with the government to provide support for safe learning environments, including the inauguration of state safe school steering committees and the drafting of implementation plans in 13 states.
“As we remember the Chibok girls and all children whose right to education has been compromised, let this somber anniversary serve as a catalyst for change,” said Munduate. “Together, we can restore trust between educational institutions and the communities they serve, ensuring schools are sanctuaries for learning and growth.”
UNICEF’s call to action emphasizes the importance of prioritizing education and child protection in national policies and budget allocations to create a safer, more inclusive environment for all Nigerian children.
