Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has demanded a comprehensive account of the N144.86bn allocated to the National Plan on Financing Safe Schools, amid reports that insecurity has forced the closure of schools in about 40 local government areas.
Atiku, in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said the development exposed what he described as the failure of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to adequately protect pupils and teachers.
He questioned the effectiveness of the Safe Schools programme, noting that the initiative was designed to safeguard educational institutions from attacks.
“At a time when Nigeria is already battling a severe out-of-school crisis, insecurity is driving even more children from the classroom. If schools across about 40 local government areas cannot operate because the government cannot guarantee the safety of pupils and teachers, Nigerians are entitled to ask where the N144.86bn Safe Schools programme is,” Atiku said.
He argued that allocating funds for school security was not enough if pupils and teachers remained exposed to attacks by terrorists, bandits and other armed groups.
According to him, the Federal Government should disclose details of funds released under the programme, beneficiaries of the money, schools covered, security infrastructure provided and measurable results recorded.
“Budgeting money is not the same thing as securing schools. Announcing programmes is not the same thing as protecting children. The true measure of a Safe Schools programme is whether our children can actually go to school safely,” he said.
Atiku, however, said proper accounting of the funds would not by itself resolve the security challenges confronting schools, advocating a shift from what he described as a centralised approach to an intelligence-driven and community-based security system.
He said his administration would establish early-warning and rapid-response mechanisms around vulnerable schools while strengthening intelligence sharing among communities, schools and security agencies.
“Local communities know their terrain. They know when unfamiliar people enter their communities and often see the warning signs before Abuja does. Our security architecture will make that local intelligence part of the national response rather than leaving communities helpless until an attack has already occurred,” he said.
The ADC presidential candidate also called for clear accountability in the implementation of school security projects, saying Nigerians should be able to identify the schools protected, facilities provided and security formations responsible for responding to threats.
“Safe Schools will be measured by children in classrooms, not billions in government documents,” Atiku stated.
He warned that prolonged closure of schools could worsen poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation, arguing that protecting schools should be treated as part of the country’s national security strategy.
Atiku also expressed concern over reported abductions in Borno State, citing the alleged abduction of 36 students and a staff member of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, during examinations in June.
He also referred to reports that 42 pupils remained missing following an attack in Mussa on May 15.
“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority,” he said.
Atiku challenged the Federal Government to deploy security forces to forests where terrorists and kidnappers were allegedly operating, and secure the release of children held captive.
“Nigerians do not need another assurance that the government knows where the terrorists are. They want to know why the terrorists are still there—and why our children are still with them,” he said.
He said his proposed security strategy would prioritise community intelligence, protection of vulnerable schools, rapid response to threats, measurable outcomes and accountability for public funds.
“President Tinubu must also account for the N144.86bn and explain why, after all the announcements and appropriations, Nigerian parents are still being forced to choose between educating their children and keeping them alive,” Atiku said.
He added that his administration would not allow criminals to determine when schools would open or close, stressing that the safety of Nigerian children must remain the primary measure of any school security policy.
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