Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has accused the Federal Government of failing to protect Nigerian children, following reports that schools in about 40 local government areas have been forced to shut down due to worsening insecurity.

Atiku described the development as a troubling reflection of the Bola Tinubu administration’s inability to guarantee the safety of pupils and teachers, warning that the continued closure of schools threatens the future of thousands of children already affected by Nigeria’s education crisis.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president questioned the effectiveness of the Federal Government’s ₦144.86 billion National Plan on Financing Safe Schools for 2023–2026.

According to him, the programme was specifically designed to secure schools against attacks by terrorists, bandits and other armed groups, yet many schools across the country remain unsafe and unable to operate.

“At a time when Nigeria is already battling a severe out-of-school children crisis, insecurity is forcing even more children out of the classroom,” Atiku said.

“If schools across about 40 local government areas cannot function because the government cannot guarantee the safety of students and teachers, Nigerians have every right to ask what became of the ₦144.86 billion Safe Schools programme.

“Budgeting money is not the same thing as securing schools. Announcing programmes is not the same thing as protecting children. The real test of any Safe Schools initiative is whether children can attend school without fear. By that standard, the programme is failing.”

The former presidential candidate called on the Tinubu administration to publish a comprehensive breakdown of the Safe Schools programme, including details of funds released, agencies and contractors involved, schools covered, security infrastructure provided and measurable outcomes achieved.

However, Atiku argued that transparency alone would not address the underlying security challenges confronting educational institutions.

He said Nigeria needs a new security strategy built around intelligence gathering and community participation rather than what he described as a centrally driven approach that has produced limited results.

According to him, an ADC-led government would integrate school security into a decentralised and intelligence-driven security framework, establish early-warning systems around vulnerable schools, improve information sharing between communities and security agencies, and ensure rapid response mechanisms are activated whenever threats emerge.

“Local communities understand their environment better than anyone else. They often notice unusual movements and warning signs long before authorities in Abuja do. Our security architecture will make local intelligence a critical part of national security operations,” he said.

Atiku also pledged that every kobo allocated to school security under his proposed administration would be tied to measurable outcomes.

“Nigerians will know which schools have been protected, what infrastructure has been provided, who is responsible for maintaining it and which security agencies are accountable when threats arise. Safe schools should be measured by children sitting in classrooms, not by figures contained in government documents,” he stated.

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The former vice president warned that the consequences of school closures extend beyond education, arguing that children forced out of classrooms become more vulnerable to poverty, child labour, early marriage, criminal recruitment and violent extremism.

“Every school that closes creates another pathway to poverty and insecurity. Every child denied education becomes more exposed to the very criminal networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore a national security priority,” he said.

Atiku further cited recent attacks on schools in Borno State as evidence of the country’s deepening security crisis.

He noted reports that 36 students and a staff member of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area were abducted by gunmen during examinations in June, while 42 pupils remain missing following an earlier attack in Mussa community.

Describing the situation as unacceptable, Atiku said it was alarming that armed groups now appear capable of determining whether schools remain open or closed.

“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not just an education crisis; it is a dangerous erosion of state authority,” he said.

He also challenged President Tinubu to explain why criminal groups continue to operate freely despite repeated assurances that security agencies know their locations.

“Nigerians do not need more assurances that government knows where terrorists are hiding. They want to know why those terrorists are still there and why innocent children remain in captivity,” he added.

Atiku urged the Federal Government to intensify rescue efforts, secure vulnerable communities and ensure that abducted students are safely reunited with their families.

He maintained that Nigeria cannot overcome poverty and underdevelopment if insecurity continues to keep children away from school.

“A government cannot claim success because it allocated billions of naira to school security while terrorists continue to shut schools and abduct children. The only result that matters is whether a child can leave home for school and return safely.

“Nigeria cannot educate its way out of poverty if criminals are allowed to lock the classroom door. Government—not terrorists—must determine when Nigerian schools open and when they close,” he said.