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Nigeria: 10 Years after Chibok, Schoolchildren Still at Risk – HRW
Nigeria: 10 Years after Chibok, Schoolchildren Still at Risk – HRW
…Urges Government To Implement Safe Schools Plan to Protect Schools, Children
By: Our Reporter
Ten years after the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok, Nigerian authorities have failed to put in place and sustain crucial measures to provide a secure learning environment for every child, Human Rights Watch said today.
Since 2014, according to Save the Children, more than 1,600 children have been abducted or kidnapped across northern Nigeria. In the northeast, the armed conflict between Boko Haram and Nigerian armed forces continues to take its toll and, in the northwest, criminal groups commonly called bandits are terrorizing communities. During February and March 2024 alone, bandits kidnapped over 200 children from their schools in Kaduna and Sokoto states.
“For many children across northern Nigeria, the pursuit of an education means facing the constant threat of abduction or kidnapping,” said Anietie Ewang, Nigeria researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Children should never face the harrowing dilemma of sacrificing their safety for education, but this untenable choice, which echoes the profound insecurity plaguing the country, is thrust upon them daily.”
On April 14, 2014, Boko Haram, an Islamist armed group, abducted 276 girls from their school in Chibok, a town in northeastern Borno state, sparking global outrage. Although some of the girls escaped, or were released or rescued, 96 remain in captivity according to UNICEF, and civil society groups continue to pressure the government to ensure they are rescued. Boko Haram, known for its opposition to education, has carried out other such abductions, including one of 110 girls from a school in Dapchi, a town in Yobe state, in 2018.
In addition to kidnappings by Boko Haram in the northeast, the ongoing banditry crisis in the northwest has in recent years made that area a hub for criminal kidnapping for ransom. The crisis emerged after years of conflict between herders and farmers, giving rise to the criminal groups, which have carried out widespread killings, looting, extortion, and kidnapping for ransom in mostly rural communities.
Between December 2020 and February 2021, a series of high-profile incidents, including the abduction of over 600 schoolchildren across Zamfara, Katsina, and Niger states, thrust the kidnapping issue into the spotlight.
In the aftermath of Chibok, the Nigerian government endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration, an international political commitment to protect education from attack and schools from military use which turns them into targets. The government also adopted a Safe School Initiative for Nigeria with the support of the global community and Nigerian business leaders. The initiative aimed to raise funds with an initial US$10 million pledge to help make schools safer, including by moving them to safer areas and creating a safe school model for schools across Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe, the three states worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency.
However, the multi-stakeholder initiative faced problems, and there has been a decline in momentum over the years with little or no progress made in fortifying schools, Human Rights Watch said. In 2021, Nigeria’s then-Senate president Ahmad Lawan, following an investigation into the utilization of the funds for the initiative, declared that it was designed to fail without a National Policy and Strategy for the Safe School Initiative and the leadership of the Federal Education Ministry. In the meantime, communities continue to suffer the brunt of bandit attacks and schoolchildren remain vulnerable prey.
A Chibok girl who was in Boko Haram captivity for over two years, and was released with 20 others, told Human Rights Watch that news of school kidnappings brings back memories of her ordeal. “Whenever I hear that more children have been kidnapped, I feel terrible, helpless,” she said. “We are still not safe … It brings back memories of what happened to me. I can never forget being snatched from my parents, my family for so long. I pray this is not the case for those that are kidnapped.” She is now a 28-year-old university student studying natural and environmental sciences.
Kemi Okenyodo, an expert in security and governance and the executive director of the Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative in Abuja, told Human Rights Watch that the ongoing school kidnappings, resembling those in Chibok a decade ago, highlight a failure to learn from past experiences, as they are taking place without adequate security infrastructure or intervention from authorities to prevent dozens or hundreds of children being snatched away at once.
Amid the heightened threat of attacks on schools, many have been forced to shut down completely, with more than 20 million children out of school in Nigeria, according to UNESCO, among the highest number in any country in the world. According to UNICEF, 66 percent of out-of-school children in Nigeria are from the northeast and northwest, which are among the poorest regions in the country.
For girls especially, the challenges are double edged. They risk rape and other forms of sexual violence if kidnapped, and if kept out of school, they risk child marriage, which is a common practice in these regions.
In 2021, the government adopted the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence Free Schools aimed at improving school security, strengthening the capabilities of security agents to respond to threats, and ensuring that education continues for children displaced by conflict and crisis, among other reasons.
The authorities committed to investing 144.8 billion naira (about $314.5 million at the time) over a certain period to finance this initiative. In 2023, they announced that 15 billion naira (about $24 million at the time) had been earmarked to pilot the initiative in 18 high-risk states and 48 schools. However, details of the implementation are sparse, and it remains unclear the extent to which this has been done.
Okenyodo told Human Rights Watch that the government needs to involve communities in designing and implementing initiatives to make schools safer to create a sense of ownership and reduce inefficiency and corruption.
“Now more than ever, the Nigerian authorities should step up efforts to make learning safe for children,” Ewang said. “They should work with communities to adopt rights-respecting measures and put in place adequate financing, systems, and structures to ensure quick, effective, and transparent implementation to ensure that children can learn without being exposed to grave harm.”
Nigeria: 10 Years after Chibok, Schoolchildren Still at Risk – HRW
Israel Accuses Iran of Terror Links, Cites Activities in Nigeria
By: Michael Mike
The Embassy of Israel in Nigeria has accused Iran of sponsoring terrorism across the globe and backing militant networks, including alleged links to activities in Nigeria.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the Israeli mission challenged recent remarks by Iran’s envoy to Nigeria denying Tehran’s involvement in terrorism, insisting that evidence accumulated over the years contradicts such claims.
The embassy said Iran has long been identified by several governments and security agencies as a major state sponsor of terrorism, accusing the country of providing funding, weapons, training and strategic guidance to militant groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthi movement.
According to the statement issued on Monday, these groups have carried out attacks against civilians and contributed to instability in several parts of the world, particularly in the Middle East.
The embassy further alleged that Iranian-backed operatives and networks have been linked to attacks and plots in different countries, including Argentina, Bulgaria, Australia and the United Kingdom.
Highlighting developments in the Middle East, the mission said Iranian leaders publicly praised the October 7 attacks carried out by Hamas against Israeli civilians and encouraged further violence against Israel.
The embassy also pointed to past incidents in Nigeria which it said suggested Iranian-linked activities within the country.
It recalled that in 2010, Nigerian authorities intercepted a shipment of weapons originating from Iran at Apapa Port in Lagos, concealed in containers allegedly destined for militant groups in West Africa.
The statement also referenced a 2013 operation by Nigerian security agencies in which a Hezbollah-linked cell and weapons cache were uncovered, leading to arrests in Abuja and Kano. Authorities at the time said the weapons were intended for attacks against Israeli and Western interests in Nigeria.
Israel’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, said Iran’s repeated denials could not erase what he described as a documented history of support for militant organisations.
“The Iranian regime can make as many statements as they like and appear on as many television channels as they want. But facts speak louder than words. The reality is that Iran is the world’s largest sponsor of terrorism and has backed the Islamic Movement of Nigeria for years,” he said.
The embassy said it considered it necessary to challenge what it described as misinformation, stressing that terrorism remains a major threat to global peace and stability, including in Nigeria.
Israel Accuses Iran of Terror Links, Cites Activities in Nigeria
NSCDC Warns Contractors Over Damage to Fibre Optic Cables in Abuja
By: Michael Mike
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has issued a strong warning to construction companies and contractors operating in the Federal Capital Territory, cautioning them to stop damaging underground fibre-optic cables during excavation works or face prosecution.
The warning was issued by the FCT Commandant of the Corps, Olusola Odumosu, who expressed concern over the growing cases of fibre-optic cable destruction across Abuja due to negligence and poor planning by construction firms.
Odumosu said the increasing damage to the communication infrastructure has led to repeated disruption of internet services, banking operations, telecommunications networks and other critical government and commercial activities.
According to him, the destruction of fibre-optic cables constitutes a serious national security risk and undermines economic activities in the country.
He explained that under the Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order 2024, telecommunications infrastructure, including fibre-optic cables, has been classified as Critical National Information Infrastructure, making any deliberate or negligent damage a punishable offence.
The Commandant noted that the Corps derives its powers from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Act 2003 (as amended in 2007), which empowers it to protect national assets, maintain round-the-clock surveillance on critical infrastructure and prosecute offenders involved in vandalism and sabotage.
He added that the law authorises the Corps to arrest, detain and investigate individuals or organisations responsible for damaging public utilities such as communication cables, power transmission lines, pipelines and other strategic facilities.
Odumosu disclosed that in line with directives from the Office of the National Security Adviser, contractors must verify the presence of underground utilities before commencing excavation or drilling in the FCT.
He directed all construction firms to liaise with telecommunication service providers, the NSCDC and relevant authorities before carrying out digging or drilling activities, stressing that ignorance of the presence of fibre-optic cables will not be accepted as a defence.
The NSCDC boss further warned that the Corps would not tolerate vandalism or interference with critical national assets such as power installations, oil and gas pipelines, rail infrastructure, water facilities, communication masts and government buildings.
He said offenders—whether individuals, companies or government contractors—would face prosecution under existing laws, including the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 and other relevant legislation protecting national infrastructure.
Odumosu assured residents that the NSCDC remains committed to safeguarding critical national assets across the capital territory and urged contractors to strictly comply with verification procedures before undertaking civil works.
He also called on members of the public, professional bodies and project managers to report suspicious excavation activities or vandalism of public infrastructure to the nearest NSCDC formation for prompt response.
The Commandant reiterated the Corps’ zero-tolerance for vandalism, urging organisations and stakeholders to collaborate with the agency to protect public utilities and ensure sustainable economic growth.
NSCDC Warns Contractors Over Damage to Fibre Optic Cables in Abuja
FG, World Bank Move to Restore Degraded Northern Landscapes with Nine Catchment Plans
By: Michael Mike
The Federal Government, in partnership with the World Bank, has commenced the appraisal and validation of nine Strategic Catchment Management Plans (SCMPs) aimed at tackling desertification, land degradation and water scarcity across Northern Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory.
The initiative is being implemented under the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes Project (ACReSAL), a climate resilience programme led by the Federal Ministry of Environment with support from the World Bank.
The validation workshop, holding in Abuja, is bringing together federal and state agencies, technical experts, and community representatives to review the plans and ensure they are inclusive, practical and capable of improving livelihoods while restoring degraded landscapes.
Speaking at the event, Nigeria’s Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, warned that environmental degradation in Northern Nigeria has reached alarming levels, threatening food security and the stability of rural communities.
According to him, millions of people in the 19 northern states and the FCT are already facing harsh environmental realities such as advancing deserts, irregular rainfall patterns, shrinking water bodies and declining farmland productivity.
“These are not abstract problems. They threaten the food on our tables, the income of our farmers and herders, and the stability of our communities,” the minister said.
Lawal explained that the ACReSAL project represents Nigeria’s strategic response to the growing environmental crisis, with the Federal Ministry of Environment working closely with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to restore degraded landscapes and promote sustainable management of natural resources.
He noted that the Strategic Catchment Management Plans form the backbone of the intervention, providing a coordinated roadmap for identifying priority environmental hotspots, mobilising resources and aligning actions across multiple sectors.
Representing the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Terlumun Utsev, the Director of Hydrology, Abohwo Ngozi, said the workshop would review the final nine catchment management plans developed under the ACReSAL framework.
She stressed that the plans are essential for improving integrated water and land management while addressing the growing environmental challenges facing communities across Northern Nigeria.
Ngozi warned that desert encroachment, degraded farmlands and unpredictable rainfall patterns are already threatening agricultural productivity and the livelihoods of millions of farmers and pastoralists.
National Coordinator of ACReSAL, Abdulhamid Umar, represented by Shettima Adams, said the nine plans are designed to guide targeted interventions in semi-arid landscapes to ensure sustainable water and land management.
He listed the catchments covered by the plans as Malenda, Oshin-Oyi, Gurara-Gbako, Aloma-Konshisha, Benue-Mada, Sarkin-Pawa-Kaduna, Zungur-Gongola, Gaji-Lamurde and Hawul-Kilange.
According to him, the catchment areas cut across several states including Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara, as well as the FCT.
Umar explained that the plans were developed through extensive consultations with local communities and stakeholders, ensuring that they capture real environmental challenges such as deforestation, soil erosion, shrinking water sources and overgrazing.
FG, World Bank Move to Restore Degraded Northern Landscapes with Nine Catchment Plans
Israel Accuses Iran of Terror Links, Cites Activities in Nigeria
NSCDC Warns Contractors Over Damage to Fibre Optic Cables in Abuja
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