Stakeholders and education rights advocates have renewed pressure on the Federal Government to account for funds spent under the Safe Schools Initiative, amid continued attacks and kidnappings targeting Nigerian students.
The Women Empowerment and Legal Aid initiative (Women Empowerment and Legal Aid) has demanded a full audit of all resources committed to school security since the programme was launched in 2014.
In a statement issued by its Chairperson, Funmi Falana, the group said Nigerians deserve clarity on how billions of naira and donor funds earmarked for school protection have been utilised, especially as abductions continue to rise.
The Safe Schools Initiative was introduced in 2014 after the abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State by Boko Haram. The programme was designed to strengthen security in learning environments, particularly in high-risk areas.
WELA noted that despite initial funding commitments—reportedly $20 million from government and private sector partners, along with additional international support—schools remain highly vulnerable.
According to the group, more than 1,680 students have reportedly been abducted and hundreds of schools attacked since the programme began, raising serious concerns about implementation and oversight failures.
“The question Nigerians are entitled to ask is simple: what has been achieved?” the organisation stated, calling for a breakdown of funds disbursed, projects executed, and measurable security improvements.
WELA further demanded the publication of all Safe Schools implementation reports, including findings from Senate investigations, and details of the National Plan on Financing Safe Schools (2023–2026), which estimates funding needs at N144.86 billion.
The group warned that repeated school attacks should not be treated as isolated incidents but as evidence of systemic failure in protecting children’s right to education.
Meanwhile, education security expert Bisi Akin-Alabi has proposed the installation of solar-powered panic alarm systems in schools nationwide as part of urgent reforms.
Speaking at the “Safe Schools, Secure Nation” virtual conference, she called for a Unified National School Safety Code backed by law, anchored on physical security, psychological safety, and disaster preparedness.
She proposed fortified school perimeters, structured emergency protocols, and a nationwide solar-powered satellite panic alarm system to enable rapid response during attacks.
Akin-Alabi also recommended a decentralised community-based security network involving parents, local leaders, and school authorities, alongside digital monitoring systems to track compliance and response efficiency.
She further suggested the creation of a National School Safety Trust Fund, with allocations split between physical security upgrades, technology systems, and community capacity building.
According to her, Nigeria’s current fragmented approach to school safety is no longer sufficient, stressing the need for a unified national framework coordinated under a single inspectorate body.
Participants at the conference described her proposal as a practical roadmap for transforming school security from reactive responses to preventive systems.
Both WELA and security experts agreed on one central point: without transparency in funding and stronger technology-driven interventions, Nigerian schools will continue to remain at risk.
