Fear is gradually replacing learning in many Nigerian schools.
The recent abduction of students in parts of Oyo and Borno States once again exposed the dangerous reality facing children across the country. Armed men reportedly invaded schools, kidnapped pupils and teachers, and left parents helpless as another chapter was added to Nigeria’s growing insecurity crisis.
For many Nigerians, the news was painful but sadly familiar.
From the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping in 2014 to Dapchi, Kankara, Tegina, Kuriga, and several attacks across Kaduna, Niger, Zamfara, Kebbi, and now the latest incidents in Oyo and Borno, schools have increasingly become soft targets for terrorists, bandits, and criminal gangs.
What was once considered a sacred place for learning has now become a source of anxiety for many families.
The recent attacks have again triggered national concern, especially as disturbing accounts continue to emerge from affected communities. Parents reportedly watched in helplessness as armed men carted away children, while survivors described moments of terror that no child should ever experience.
Yet, beyond the headlines and public sympathy lies a deeper national challenge — the growing loss of confidence in educational safety.
In many rural communities today, parents are afraid to send their children to school. Some schools now operate under fear, while others have quietly recorded declining attendance due to insecurity. For thousands of children, especially girls, repeated attacks have become the end of their educational journey.
The consequences are enormous.
When schools become unsafe:
More children drop out of school.
Child labour and early marriage increase.
Poverty deepens across vulnerable communities.
Emotional trauma affects students for years.
National development suffers.
Education cannot thrive where fear dominates.
Despite repeated promises from government authorities after every attack, many schools still lack basic security infrastructure. Several vulnerable schools have no perimeter fencing, no trained security personnel, poor emergency communication systems, and little or no rapid response support from security agencies.
This raises difficult but necessary questions: How many more children must be kidnapped before school security becomes a true national priority? Why are lessons from previous attacks not translating into stronger protection systems? Why do communities continue to feel abandoned after every tragedy?
The government must understand that securing schools is not optional; it is a national responsibility.
Nigeria urgently needs:
Armed protection for vulnerable schools.
Improved intelligence gathering in high-risk areas.
Functional emergency response systems.
Stronger collaboration between communities and security agencies.
Modern surveillance and communication infrastructure.
Full implementation of safe-school policies across all states.
Most importantly, authorities must stop treating school kidnappings as temporary news events. Every attack leaves long-term scars on families, communities, and the country’s future.
If the government cannot guarantee the safety of students and teachers in certain high-risk areas, then vulnerable schools should be temporarily shut until adequate protection is provided. No academic calendar is more important than human life.
Nigeria’s children deserve schools filled with hope, not fear.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.