ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has condemned the recent attacks and abductions of schoolchildren in parts of Borno and Oyo states, describing the development as a growing threat to Nigeria’s education system and future.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Obi said the kidnapping of students from schools in Mussa Village, Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, and Ahoro-Esinele community in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State highlighted the worsening insecurity situation in the country.
“Sad: Schoolchildren Now ‘Pawns in Ransom Economy’ There is nothing more heartbreaking for a nation than an inability to protect its children,” he said.
Obi warned that the persistent attacks on schools amount not only to a security breakdown but also an assault on children’s right to education, adding that fear of abduction is already forcing many children, especially girls, out of school.
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He said, “The recent attacks and kidnappings of students from two schools in Mussa Village, Askira/Uba LGA, Borno State (North-East) and Ahoro-Esinele community, Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State (South-West) mark a grave crisis that threatens the future of the nation.”
He further noted that fear of abduction was discouraging school attendance, particularly among girls, thereby worsening Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis.
“The fear of further abduction often leads children especially girls to permanently leave school,” he said, stressing that insecurity is becoming a major barrier to education in affected communities.
Obi also stated that communities repeatedly exposed to attacks often witness the collapse of their educational systems, adding that fear has become a “substantial obstacle” to school enrolment.
“Ensuring the safety of schools is not just a logistical issue; it is a moral obligation,” he said, while calling for stronger community intelligence, improved protection for schools, and accountability for perpetrators.
He added that “protecting the next generation demands a blend of community-led intelligence, the physical strengthening of educational facilities, and a transparent justice system that holds wrongdoers accountable.”
The statement followed separate attacks in Borno and Oyo states. In Borno, suspected insurgents reportedly invaded a school in Mussa Village, Askira/Uba LGA, during school hours and abducted dozens of students, while some escaped into nearby bushes.
In Oyo State, armed men reportedly attacked schools in Ahoro-Esinele community in Oriire LGA, killing a teacher and abducting a school principal alongside an unspecified number of students before fleeing into a nearby forest.