Parents across Nigeria are increasingly apprehensive about sending their children back to school following fresh security alerts and warnings by security agencies over possible terrorist attacks on schools and other public institutions.
The development has heightened concerns among parents, particularly in communities already considered vulnerable to attacks, kidnappings and other forms of insecurity.
National Secretary of the Uche Onyia-led faction of the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria, Ibrahim Nabayi, said parents were now living in fear and could not be expected to expose their children to danger.
Speaking on Monday, Nabayi described the situation as unfortunate and called on governments at all levels to urgently strengthen security around schools.
“Parents are worried now, parents are scared of sending children back to school,” he said.
He urged the Federal Government to deploy available resources and modern technology to detect and prevent threats before they reach school premises.
According to him, surveillance technology should be deployed within a five-kilometre radius of schools to detect suspicious movements, weapons and other potential threats and enable security agencies to respond before attacks occur.
“I want to implore the Federal Government as well to develop, to deploy technology whereby from about five kilometres in the radius of a school, any weapon, any danger that is approaching towards the head of the school, government should be able to watch it from a distance and contain it and avoid this situation,” Nabayi said.
Schools vulnerable
Nabayi said many schools remained vulnerable because the security personnel attached to them were often poorly equipped to confront heavily armed attackers.
“All our schools are porous. The kind of ammunition these guys move around with is more than what the security guards in the schools have. They cannot contain them until there’s intervention of a superpower,” he said.
He recalled the Safe School Initiative introduced during the tenure of the current Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, as Chief of Defence Staff.
According to him, the initiative involved mapping schools, improving surveillance and establishing mechanisms for rapid response to security threats.
Nabayi said the National Parent Teacher Association had reminded the minister of the initiative during a courtesy visit about three months ago, adding that Musa had promised that the Federal Government would sustain and strengthen the programme.
“So, this is the climax of where we need him and the ministry and all paraphernalia of government to contain this situation,” he said.
He called for closer collaboration among security agencies, communities, parents and school authorities, stressing that communities must report suspicious activities around schools.
“We want synergy between the government and the communities where schools are located. Security is not the responsibility of the government alone. The communities where schools reside should be proactive. They should say something when they see foreign objects around them,” he said.
Close or relocate vulnerable pupils
On whether schools located in high-risk areas should be temporarily shut, Nabayi said such schools could be closed where necessary.
“Of course, that’s the best way,” he said.
However, he advocated the relocation of pupils from vulnerable schools to safer institutions instead of prolonged closure.
He recalled an incident in Kaduna State where pupils from vulnerable communities were moved to safer locations to enable them write their examinations before being returned to their parents.
“I think instead of closing down schools, they transfer to the nearby schools that are safer and more reliable in terms of security. It’s a dynamic approach,” he said.
Nabayi warned that prolonged school closures could further widen the educational gap, particularly for children without access to online learning facilities.
He also called for the involvement of parent-teacher associations in government efforts to secure schools and sensitise communities on how to identify and report potential threats.
‘Fear is legitimate’
Nabayi said the concerns of parents were justified, insisting that parents should not be forced to send their children into environments where their safety could not be guaranteed.
“For parents who are apprehensive, it is a genuine fear, and I respect that. I cannot send my child where he is not safe,” he said.
He urged the Federal Government to revive and properly implement the Safe School Initiative, while calling on journalists and civil society organisations to independently assess its implementation across the country.
“As a journalist, go around and investigate. Conduct an independent investigation. In the schools in your community, is there any Safe School Initiative active? Who is the anchor person in that school? Who do you report to directly as the first point of contact?” he asked.
He said government investment in education would amount to little if children could not learn in a secure environment.
“Once the government can create a safe environment, education thrives. When there is fear, nothing can be learned,” Nabayi said.
Fresh security concerns
The latest concerns come against the backdrop of previous attacks on schools and the abduction of pupils and teachers across the country.
In May 2026, dozens of students and teachers were reportedly abducted in separate attacks on schools.
On May 15, armed men reportedly attacked three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, abducting 49 pupils, teachers and a toddler. A mathematics teacher was also reportedly killed while in captivity.
The Department of State Services had also alerted Muslim and Christian leaders in Osun State to an alleged plan by terrorists to attack places of worship and other public gathering centres ahead of the 2027 general elections.
With parents already expressing fears over the safety of their children, pressure is now mounting on the Federal Government, state governments and security agencies to demonstrate that schools are adequately protected before students return to classrooms.
