By Aare Afe Babalola, SAN
![image](/2020/10/lawreport.jpg")
IN recent times, news media across the country have been replete
with stories of incessant kidnappings and closure of schools. From
these reports, it is clear that students and teachers at all levels
of education – primary, secondary and tertiary – are not immune
from the danger posed byarmed invaders. Right from the
widely-reported kidnapping of female students in Chibok communityby
members of the Boko Haram terrorist group on 15th April 2014, it
does not seem that the incidents of kidnappings are waning in the
country.Due to this, many state governments have resorted to the
closure of schools as the first and immediate response to
kidnappings. Therefore, in this edition, I will consider some of
the reported incidents of kidnapping and schools’ closure, and the
effect on education and the country.
![image](/2021/01/payne-alex.jpg")
Some reported incidents of kidnapping and school
closure
PM News edition of 11th March 2021 gave a caption as follows –
Kidnapping: Niger Government Closes All Public Secondary Schools.
It reported thus: ‘The Niger Ministry of Education has directed the
closure of all public secondary schools for two weeks to enable the
state government asses security threats and its impact on schools.
The schools would be closed between Friday, March 12 and Friday,
March 27, according to the state Commissioner of Education, Hajiya
Hannatu Salihu. The commissioner noted that the closure will give
relevant security agencies the time and opportunity to conduct a
comprehensive risk assessment of all public secondary schools in
the state. The decision to close schools in the state came after an
emergency consultative meeting with the leadership of the
Association of the Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS),
Association of Model Islamic Schools (AMIS), Executive Chairman,
Niger State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB), Heads of
Education Agencies, Directors of the Ministry and other
stakeholders of the sector. The closure of schools came in the
light of recent abduction of students at the Government Science
College, in Kagara community of the state few weeks ago.
On 17th March 2021, Withinnigeria News reported a caption –
Kidnapping: Kaduna Closes All Schools in Kajuru LGA. It reported
thus: “Kaduna has ordered the closure of all public and private
schools in Kajuru Local Government Area of the state following
continuous attacks on schools by bandits… Last Thursday, 39
students were abducted when gunmen invaded the Federal College of
Forestry Mechanisation in Afaka, Igabi LGA of the state.The
students were later seen in a video clips receiving heavy beatings
from their abductors, calling on government to pay the ransom to
secure their release.”
Another report, Newdawnngr, gave the following caption on 27th
February 2021 – Kidnapping/Abduction: Zamfara Govt Orders Closure
of Boarding Schools. It reported that: “The governor of
Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, on Friday, ordered the immediate
closure of all boarding secondary schools in the state following
the abduction of 317 female students in Talata Mafara Local
Government Area. The governor gave the directive in a special state
broadcast on the abduction of the students at Government Girls
Secondary School, Jangebe, saying it is a trying moment for the
state. “I wish to assure everyone that we are wholly committed to
ensuring a speedy rescue of our dear schoolgirls and reuniting them
with their families,” the governor said. He said police helicopters
and other search and rescue operatives have been deployed to the
area where the abducted girls are believed to be, adding that
members of the public, and most especially the parents and
guardians of the students, would be kept informed of developments
in the efforts to rescue them. “As we are making efforts to
strengthen security around our schools, I have directed the
immediate closure of all boarding secondary schools across the
state.”
The effect of kidnapping and school closure on
education
As I earlier observed, there seems to be no reduction in the
reports of kidnapping, so much that experts have predicted a rise
in the number of out-of-school children due to incessant attacks on
schools particularly in the North Central and Northwestern Nigeria.
According to a report by Blueprint, an expert noted thus: “Never in
history has the education industry in Nigeria being so threatened
by insecurity like its current state. The attacks on schools often
have adverse effects not only on students, educators, parents and
educational institutions, but also on the government and the
society at large. The rising cases of kidnapping incidents at
schools in Nigeria show how vulnerable schools in northern Nigeria
have become for bandits and kidnappers. It means that kidnappers,
bandits, terrorists or whatever name they are called, have declared
war on the education sector in the North and in extension on the
future of our students and country. When a teacher goes to school
and is not guaranteed of his safety, it will affect his
performance. Schools being shut down completely will impact
negatively on the education sector, the system. The number of
out-of-school children will continue to rise because parents whose
children are back from bandits will begin to think otherwise and
will not want them to go to school. The children will then begin
roaming the streets and in the future, these children will be
recruited into criminal activities. More proactive steps have to be
taken to secure schools from bandit or terrorist attacks and to
stop the kidnapping of students. This is because if the emerging
trend of kidnappings, especially students’ abductions are allowed
to continue, it will not only consume our education sector, but
also the future of our country. Our children and teachers deserve
to learn and teach under a peaceful atmosphere devoid of any form
of fear or intimidation either by kidnappers, bandits or
terrorists.
In another interview, Blueprint also reported thus: “Everyone
has the right to education.It is unfortunate that the fragility in
the north is derailing education which is fundamental to the
socio-economic growth and development of the region and its ability
to compete in the global economy. Following the incessant attacks
on schools in the northern part of the country, certainly, the
gains of the past in term of enrolment, retention and completion or
graduation are being eroded. It will balloon the outrageous figure
of out-of-school children in Nigeria. This is because no one wants
to suffer the trauma of having his/her children abducted in the
name of getting education. The number of street children/Almajiri
will also increase. Child marriage will automatically rise with its
nasty attendant implications like VVF and maternal mortality and
morbidity among other issues. Unfortunately, with this trend,
Nigeria cannot actualize the SDGs 2030 target.
Another expert noted thus: “Given the pace at which
bandits attack schools, government and private proprietors will be
forced to shut down schools, intermittently, and then for much
longer. Parents on the other hand will also be reluctant to send
their wards and children to school; while teachers and other
caregivers will be reluctant to report for work.The overall
consequence will be empty schools, and gap in the education of
children. Children will be left idle, and restless, since they
cannot even be engaged with the livelihood practices of their
parents due to insecurity. Poverty will increase, social cohesion
within the homes and the communities will be stretched, and there
will be increase in anti-social behaviour among children, with both
children and their parents developing mental health issues. All of
these will make recovery more tedious, and take longer even when
security and safety are restored. Unfortunately, the impact will
not just be on the North-west, or North-central; the impact will
eventually be national and nationwide. People will tend to leave
insecure places for relatively more secure places, and the
inequality with respect to the conditions of living and existence
of residents and the new influx of those seeking refuge from
insecurity will potentially be destabilising for their new place of
refuge as well.
To be continued…
AARE AFE BABALOLA, SAN, OFR, CON, FNIALS, FCIArb., LLD.
By Aare Afe Babalola, SAN
IN recent times, news media across the country have been replete
with stories of incessant kidnappings and closure of schools. From
these reports, it is clear that students and teachers at all levels
of education – primary, secondary and tertiary – are not immune
from the danger posed byarmed invaders. Right from the
widely-reported kidnapping of female students in Chibok communityby
members of the Boko Haram terrorist group on 15th April 2014, it
does not seem that the incidents of kidnappings are waning in the
country.Due to this, many state governments have resorted to the
closure of schools as the first and immediate response to
kidnappings. Therefore, in this edition, I will consider some of
the reported incidents of kidnapping and schools’ closure, and the
effect on education and the country.
Some reported incidents of kidnapping and school
closure
PM News edition of 11th March 2021 gave a caption as follows –
Kidnapping: Niger Government Closes All Public Secondary Schools.
It reported thus: ‘The Niger Ministry of Education has directed the
closure of all public secondary schools for two weeks to enable the
state government asses security threats and its impact on schools.
The schools would be closed between Friday, March 12 and Friday,
March 27, according to the state Commissioner of Education, Hajiya
Hannatu Salihu. The commissioner noted that the closure will give
relevant security agencies the time and opportunity to conduct a
comprehensive risk assessment of all public secondary schools in
the state. The decision to close schools in the state came after an
emergency consultative meeting with the leadership of the
Association of the Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS),
Association of Model Islamic Schools (AMIS), Executive Chairman,
Niger State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB), Heads of
Education Agencies, Directors of the Ministry and other
stakeholders of the sector. The closure of schools came in the
light of recent abduction of students at the Government Science
College, in Kagara community of the state few weeks ago.
On 17th March 2021, Withinnigeria News reported a caption –
Kidnapping: Kaduna Closes All Schools in Kajuru LGA. It reported
thus: “Kaduna has ordered the closure of all public and private
schools in Kajuru Local Government Area of the state following
continuous attacks on schools by bandits… Last Thursday, 39
students were abducted when gunmen invaded the Federal College of
Forestry Mechanisation in Afaka, Igabi LGA of the state.The
students were later seen in a video clips receiving heavy beatings
from their abductors, calling on government to pay the ransom to
secure their release.”
Another report, Newdawnngr, gave the following caption on 27th
February 2021 – Kidnapping/Abduction: Zamfara Govt Orders Closure
of Boarding Schools. It reported that: “The governor of
Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, on Friday, ordered the immediate
closure of all boarding secondary schools in the state following
the abduction of 317 female students in Talata Mafara Local
Government Area. The governor gave the directive in a special state
broadcast on the abduction of the students at Government Girls
Secondary School, Jangebe, saying it is a trying moment for the
state. “I wish to assure everyone that we are wholly committed to
ensuring a speedy rescue of our dear schoolgirls and reuniting them
with their families,” the governor said. He said police helicopters
and other search and rescue operatives have been deployed to the
area where the abducted girls are believed to be, adding that
members of the public, and most especially the parents and
guardians of the students, would be kept informed of developments
in the efforts to rescue them. “As we are making efforts to
strengthen security around our schools, I have directed the
immediate closure of all boarding secondary schools across the
state.”
The effect of kidnapping and school closure on
education
As I earlier observed, there seems to be no reduction in the
reports of kidnapping, so much that experts have predicted a rise
in the number of out-of-school children due to incessant attacks on
schools particularly in the North Central and Northwestern Nigeria.
According to a report by Blueprint, an expert noted thus: “Never in
history has the education industry in Nigeria being so threatened
by insecurity like its current state. The attacks on schools often
have adverse effects not only on students, educators, parents and
educational institutions, but also on the government and the
society at large. The rising cases of kidnapping incidents at
schools in Nigeria show how vulnerable schools in northern Nigeria
have become for bandits and kidnappers. It means that kidnappers,
bandits, terrorists or whatever name they are called, have declared
war on the education sector in the North and in extension on the
future of our students and country. When a teacher goes to school
and is not guaranteed of his safety, it will affect his
performance. Schools being shut down completely will impact
negatively on the education sector, the system. The number of
out-of-school children will continue to rise because parents whose
children are back from bandits will begin to think otherwise and
will not want them to go to school. The children will then begin
roaming the streets and in the future, these children will be
recruited into criminal activities. More proactive steps have to be
taken to secure schools from bandit or terrorist attacks and to
stop the kidnapping of students. This is because if the emerging
trend of kidnappings, especially students’ abductions are allowed
to continue, it will not only consume our education sector, but
also the future of our country. Our children and teachers deserve
to learn and teach under a peaceful atmosphere devoid of any form
of fear or intimidation either by kidnappers, bandits or
terrorists.
In another interview, Blueprint also reported thus: “Everyone
has the right to education.It is unfortunate that the fragility in
the north is derailing education which is fundamental to the
socio-economic growth and development of the region and its ability
to compete in the global economy. Following the incessant attacks
on schools in the northern part of the country, certainly, the
gains of the past in term of enrolment, retention and completion or
graduation are being eroded. It will balloon the outrageous figure
of out-of-school children in Nigeria. This is because no one wants
to suffer the trauma of having his/her children abducted in the
name of getting education. The number of street children/Almajiri
will also increase. Child marriage will automatically rise with its
nasty attendant implications like VVF and maternal mortality and
morbidity among other issues. Unfortunately, with this trend,
Nigeria cannot actualize the SDGs 2030 target.
Another expert noted thus: “Given the pace at which
bandits attack schools, government and private proprietors will be
forced to shut down schools, intermittently, and then for much
longer. Parents on the other hand will also be reluctant to send
their wards and children to school; while teachers and other
caregivers will be reluctant to report for work.The overall
consequence will be empty schools, and gap in the education of
children. Children will be left idle, and restless, since they
cannot even be engaged with the livelihood practices of their
parents due to insecurity. Poverty will increase, social cohesion
within the homes and the communities will be stretched, and there
will be increase in anti-social behaviour among children, with both
children and their parents developing mental health issues. All of
these will make recovery more tedious, and take longer even when
security and safety are restored. Unfortunately, the impact will
not just be on the North-west, or North-central; the impact will
eventually be national and nationwide. People will tend to leave
insecure places for relatively more secure places, and the
inequality with respect to the conditions of living and existence
of residents and the new influx of those seeking refuge from
insecurity will potentially be destabilising for their new place of
refuge as well.
To be continued…
AARE AFE BABALOLA, SAN, OFR, CON, FNIALS, FCIArb., LLD.