Arthur Greene
At least one million children in Nigeria have stopped going to school for fear of being kidnapped, according to The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
There have been 20 attacks on schools this year, leading to the abduction of 1,436 children.
16 children have so far been killed and more than 200 children remain missing.
“As more than 37 million Nigerian children start the new school year this month, at least one million are being left behind; afraid to return to school due to insecurity,” the organisation said in a statement on Wednesday.
Schools in northern Nigeria have become increasingly at risk from attack by armed groups in recent years.
Islamist militant group Boko Haram was the first group to conduct mass abductions of learners at schools in exchange for ransom.
Islamic State West Africa Province has also been known to carry out mass kidnappings, while more recently, criminal gangs have adopted the tactic.
“Learners are being cut off from their education and other vital benefits schools provide, as families and communities remain fearful of sending children back to their classrooms,” the statement read.
“This is due to the spate of school attacks and student abductions in Nigeria over the last several months and the current climate of insecurity.”
Peter Hawkins, the UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, called for improved efforts to make classrooms a safer place for children.
“For the most vulnerable children, including children affected by conflict, girl children, and children with disabilities, their risk of never stepping into a classroom in their lifetime is skyrocketing.
“We need to end this insecurity and make our priorities clear, that Nigerian children can and must be allowed to benefit from an education in a safe space,” he said.
The statement comes after 73 children were kidnapped from a state-run high school in Zamfara’s Maradun district earlier this month. Every child was later freed.
Image source: @ewnupdates
