By Bode Adegoke
An non governmental organization “Save the Children International” has revealed an alarming report that between 2014 and 2022, a total of 1,683 school children were abducted in Nigeria across 70 separate attacks carried out by bandit and insurgent groups.
The report, released to mark the 2026 International Day of Education, also highlighted that 184 students were killed during these attacks, while 25 schools suffered infrastructure damage.
The worst-affected regions were the North-East and North-West, where these attacks continue to disrupt education and displace entire communities.
The NGO warns that these attacks undermine the government’s and partners’ efforts to improve the quality of education in Nigeria.
The organization called for the full implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration and stronger security measures to protect students and school staff.
The NGO emphasized that without safe learning environments and sufficient funding for education, the potential of Nigeria’s young population—over 60% of the country—will remain severely limited.
It reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening youth-led advocacy for safe education initiatives and supporting emergency education responses for children affected by conflict and displacement.
