Amnesty International has raised alarms over the growing threat to education in northern Nigeria, following the indefinite closure of 20,468 schools across seven states after the recent mass abduction of students and teachers in Niger state. This incident underscores a pattern of repeated attacks, including at least 15 documented mass abductions since the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping in 2014. Authorities have consistently failed to protect children and educators or ensure justice for victims, leaving millions at risk of abandoning their education, while many girls face forced marriage to avoid abduction.
Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, described the situation as an assault on childhood, highlighting the widespread insecurity affecting hundreds of towns and villages. The Nigerian authorities’ failure to protect the population constitutes a breach of both constitutional and international human rights obligations, including those under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Many abducted children are never released, and the fear of abduction continues to disrupt education in the region.
Investigations have repeatedly revealed security lapses as a key factor in these abductions. For instance, the kidnapping of over 300 children and teachers from St. Mary’s School in Papiri, Niger state, occurred despite claims of prior security intelligence, which school authorities contested. Similarly, the abduction of 25 schoolgirls from Maga in Kebbi state happened even though warnings had been issued beforehand. State governments have responded by closing schools in affected areas, but these measures offer only temporary protection while having long-term negative impacts on education. Schools closed after earlier abductions in 2021 were never reopened, leaving children without alternative learning opportunities.
Amnesty International stresses that the authorities must take urgent and effective measures to reduce barriers to education, including ending violent attacks on rural communities. Nigeria has ratified key human rights treaties guaranteeing the right to education, such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. Authorities are urged to fully uphold these obligations by ensuring children’s safety, conducting thorough investigations of all mass school abductions, bringing perpetrators to justice, and providing victims and their families with access to remedies. The organisation emphasizes that sustainable investment in education and security is crucial to prevent further disruption and to safeguard the rights of a generation of children in northern Nigeria.
