Gen. Christopher Musa, Defence Minister, has committed to enhancing school security nationwide to create a safe learning environment, emphasising that security is essential for effective education. He stated that the federal government is committed to enhancing school security nationwide due to rising concerns for student safety. He pledged to improve school security in Nigeria, where
Gen. Christopher Musa, Defence Minister, has committed to enhancing school security nationwide to create a safe learning environment, emphasising that security is essential for effective education.
He stated that the federal government is committed to enhancing school security nationwide due to rising concerns for student safety. He pledged to improve school security in Nigeria, where students and teachers have frequently been targeted for kidnapping by armed groups and gangs.
These incidents have disrupted learning, heightened anxiety among parents, and underscored the urgent need for sustained security interventions in the education sector.
They have also forced many schools to shut down temporarily, while others operate under reduced schedules or with heightened security presence. Beyond the mass kidnappings, there have been reports of gunmen invading classrooms, firing shots to create panic, and looting school property.
In some communities, teachers have been assaulted or threatened, leading to staff shortages as educators relocate to safer areas. This has worsened learning gaps, especially in rural schools already facing limited resources. The impact of these is that parents increasingly withdraw their children from schools perceived as unsafe, while others opt for homeschooling or relocate entirely.
To ensure maximum security across schools in Nigeria, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, made the commitment on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving an award from the National Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), which honoured him for his role in advancing school safety and supporting the Safe Schools Initiative.
Speaking at the event, the defence minister emphasised that meaningful learning cannot take place in an atmosphere of fear, noting that insecurity has remained one of the most serious obstacles to education in several parts of the country.
He said the government would intensify collaboration with parents, teachers, security agencies, and community leaders to protect students and ensure schools remain safe spaces for learning.
According to him, recurring threats such as kidnappings, armed attacks on school premises, harassment of students on their way to and from school, and the forced closure of schools in high-risk areas have undermined educational progress and placed emotional strain on students and their families.
“There can be no effective education without security. Our responsibility is to create an environment where children can go to school without fear. This requires collective effort from the government, parents, teachers, and the wider society to guarantee that every child has the opportunity to learn and thrive.”
General Musa further described parents and teachers as critical partners in nation-building, stressing that quality education, discipline, and safety were essential to producing responsible citizens and reducing social instability.
He noted that addressing insecurity in schools was also key to preventing rising dropout rates, trauma among students, and the long-term disruption of academic calendars.
The NAPTAN President, Haruna Danjuma, commends the Minister of Defence for years of service to the nation and for initiating the Safe Schools Programme during his tenure as Chief of Defence Staff.
Danjuma explained that the programme has played an important role in reassuring parents and encouraging continued school attendance, despite ongoing security challenges such as abductions of students, attacks on boarding schools, and threats by criminal groups in parts of the country.
He added that parents in several states had witnessed improvements in security around vulnerable schools, including increased patrols, better coordination with local vigilante groups, and heightened awareness of early-warning mechanisms.
Also speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Richard Pheelangwa, assured that the ministry would continue to work with education authorities and other stakeholders to ensure that security strategies complement educational development.
