"Amnesty International Sounds Alarm: Northern Nigeria's Schools Are No Longer Safe for Children"

Table of Contents

• Criticism of Nigerian Authorities
• Recent Kidnappings
• Impact on Education
• International Responsibility
• Call to Action

Amnesty International has condemned the Nigerian authorities for their inability to ensure the safety of children in northern states, following the abduction of over 230 students this week in Kebbi and Niger.

The organization stated that these recent kidnappings highlight the government's ongoing failure to prevent repeated attacks on schools, which have already led to the closure of hundreds of educational institutions and disrupted the education of thousands of children across states like Katsina and Plateau.

“The Nigerian authorities are failing children,” remarked Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria.

“School children in certain regions of northern Nigeria are perpetually at risk of death or abduction.”

Sanusi pointed out that more than 780 children were kidnapped from schools and religious centers in 2021, with some being killed during these assaults.

He emphasized that the ongoing abductions indicate that the authorities “have not learned any lessons from past incidents.”

Amnesty International further noted that teachers in Zamfara, Katsina, and Niger have reported a significant decline in school attendance since 2021, as many children are too frightened to return.

The organization also mentioned that numerous young girls are being pulled out of school entirely and married off by families who fear they might be kidnapped.

“The future of thousands of school children in northern Nigeria remains grim, as hundreds of schools in some states have been closed indefinitely due to escalating insecurity,” Sanusi stated.

“Hundreds of children may completely abandon their education due to the psychological trauma of witnessing violent attacks or enduring captivity.”

The organization cautioned that assaults on educational institutions bring about “major and far-reaching” consequences.

It asserted that Nigeria has an obligation under international law to protect children and ensure that killings, intimidation, and abductions do not undermine the educational system.

“There is a deliberate assault on children by armed groups. Using children as shields or bargaining chips is unacceptable and must cease,” Sanusi stated.

He urged the government to regard these attacks as potential war crimes and crimes against humanity.

“No child should have to endure what children are experiencing in northern Nigeria. Education should not be a matter of life and death for anyone. Nigeria is failing its children once again in a horrifying way,” he added.

Amnesty International called on the government to enhance security around schools and ensure that all perpetrators are apprehended and prosecuted through fair trials.