72 Days After Borno Schoolchildren’s Abduction: What Have We Done Better?

Seventy-two days after armed attackers abducted schoolchildren from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, an important question remains: has Nigeria become any better prepared to protect children from similar attacks?

The abduction reignited fears of child safety in school, especially in conflict-affected areas where education is still taking place in the face of ongoing security concerns. Many families and child rights activists have said that lasting protection is not just about emergency responses, as government officials have repeatedly pledged to the public that they are working to get the children back and improve security.

There remain implementation gaps in Safe Schools Commitments.

The Nigeria Safe Schools Initiative is one of the key frameworks put in place to protect learners, which was initiated following the abduction of the Chibok school and strengthened by the National Plan on Financing Safe Schools.

The objective of the initiative is to enhance school security by implementing perimeter fencing, early warning systems, emergency preparedness, community involvement and increased cooperation between schools and security agencies.

But the implementation has been inconsistent in many vulnerable communities, and there is worry that these promises are not being delivered to children who most need them. In many schools in conflict-affected areas, the problem is not that policies are not in place, but that the policies are not being implemented and are not adequately funded.

Protecting Children Requires More Than Emergency Responses

Child protection experts say it is important to invest in the prevention of future attacks, not just deploy security forces after an attack. This encompasses regular school risk assessments, teacher and pupil training on emergency procedures, communication with local communities and prompt response from security agencies to credible threats.

It is also important to offer psychosocial support to children who are victims of insecurity so that fear is not another obstacle to learning.

The missing Borno schoolchildren are just one of the tests that the country is facing as the children continue to be held captive. Without comprehensive improvements, thousands of children are attending school every day with the uncertainty of what will happen to them.

The return of the abducted children to safety will not be the only indicator of Nigeria’s response, but whether meaningful reforms are made to ensure that no child ever again has to fear being abducted from the classroom. The protection of children needs to go beyond promises to consistent action that ensures that every school is a place of safety, learning and hope.