Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A coalition of civil society organisations and education experts has renewed calls for an immediate and comprehensive audit of all funds allocated to the Safe Schools Initiative, questioning the programme’s effectiveness more than a decade after it was launched in response to the Chibok schoolgirls' abduction, even as a safety expert proposed the deployment of solar-powered panic alarm systems in schools across the country as part of broader reforms to address the rising wave of school abductions and insecurity.
Women Empowerment and Legal Aid (WELA), in a statement issued on Thursday, June 18, 2026, by its Chairperson, Funmi Falana (SAN), demanded that the Federal Government and agencies responsible for the Safe Schools Initiative provide a full public account of the programme from its inception in 2014 to date. The group expressed concern over the recurring attacks on schools and the abduction of students, saying Nigerians deserve to know how funds earmarked for school security have been utilised. “Recent incidents involving the abduction of schoolchildren have once again brought national attention to the vulnerability of our schools and the frightening reality that many Nigerian parents still send their children to school uncertain whether they will return home safely,” the statement read.
The Safe Schools Initiative was established in 2014 by the Federal Government in collaboration with private sector stakeholders and international partners following the abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, by Boko Haram. The programme was designed to strengthen security in schools, protect students and teachers, and ensure uninterrupted access to education, particularly in conflict-prone areas. According to WELA, the initiative commenced with an initial funding commitment of $20 million, comprising $10 million from the Federal Government and another $10 million from private sector partners. Additional support was reportedly received from international development partners, while the Federal Government later introduced the National Plan on Financing Safe Schools (2023–2026), which projected a funding requirement of N144.86 billion and received an allocation of N15 billion in 2023.
However, despite significant financial commitments to the initiative over the years, schoolchildren remain vulnerable to attacks and kidnappings. “Twelve years have now passed since the launch of the Safe Schools Initiative. The question Nigerians are entitled to ask is simple: what has been achieved?” the group said. WELA cited public reports indicating that more than 1,680 schoolchildren have been kidnapped and about 180 educational facilities attacked since 2014. Other estimates suggest that more than 2,000 students have been abducted over the past decade, while hundreds of schools have been forced to shut down because of insecurity. The organisation said the figures raised concerns about the implementation, monitoring and effectiveness of programmes established to protect children and educational institutions.
While acknowledging the complexity of Nigeria’s security challenges, WELA insisted that public officials must account for resources committed to protecting schoolchildren. “Where public funds have been committed in the name of protecting children, the public has a right to know how those funds have been utilised, what projects have been executed, what outcomes have been achieved, and what lessons have been learnt,” the statement added. Among the issues raised by WELA were the total amount committed to the initiative since 2014, how much has been disbursed, the number of schools that have benefited from security interventions, measurable reductions in attacks on schools, and the agencies responsible for implementation and oversight. The organisation also sought the publication of annual implementation and impact reports as well as the findings of a Senate investigation into the utilisation of Safe Schools funds.
The call for accountability was echoed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), which had earlier urged President Bola Tinubu to order an investigation into allegations that funds allocated to the N145 billion Safe Schools Initiative may have been diverted or mismanaged. In a statement issued on June 4, 2026, SERAP cited reports that more than 600 pupils and teachers were abducted in school-related attacks across Nigeria between March 2024 and May 2026 despite the implementation of the programme. The organisation warned that it could institute legal action if the recommended measures were not implemented.
Meanwhile, a safety and education expert, Dr Bisi Akin-Alabi, Lead Resource at Safe Schools Lagos, has called for the deployment of solar-powered panic alarm systems in schools across Nigeria as part of a unified national framework to address the escalating crisis of school abductions. Speaking at the Renewed Hope Global Town Hall Virtual Conference themed “Safe Schools, Secure Nation: Advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Akin-Alabi proposed what she described as a Unified National School Safety Code backed by law and anchored on three pillars: physical security, psychological safety, and disaster readiness. She explained that the current approach, which relies on scattered guidelines, was no longer adequate to confront emerging threats in the education sector. “We selected this theme in response to the alarming rise in school abductions in Nigeria,” she said, adding that to address the issue meaningfully, there was a need for a comprehensive and enforceable system.
Akin-Alabi outlined key elements of the proposed framework, including fortified school perimeters, structured emergency protocols, and the installation of solar-powered satellite panic alarm systems to enable rapid response during emergencies. The proposal, she explained, would ensure that security systems such as alarms and surveillance remain functional even in communities without electricity, a critical consideration in Nigeria’s rural and underserved areas where many schools are located. She argued that reinforced walls and gates would delay attacks, fortified entry points would deny vehicular entry, and real-time alarm systems linked to communities would shorten response time. The framework also integrates CCTV mounts, alarm wiring, panic buttons, solar-powered backup systems, and clearly marked evacuation routes, with zoned hostels, night lighting and perimeter alarm systems recommended for boarding schools.
The renewed demand for accountability comes amid a surge in school abductions in 2026, including the mass abduction of pupils and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on May 15, 2026, and the kidnapping of students in Borno and other states. The Senate had previously initiated a probe into the $30 million Safe Schools Initiative, summoning the Ministers of Finance, Education, and Defence to account for the utilisation of funds. The Senate committee, chaired by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, declared its intention to track every naira and every dollar allocated to the initiative.
WELA stressed that its demand was not politically motivated but driven by the need for transparency and accountability. “Every child has a right to education. Every parent has a right to expect that schools are reasonably safe. Every Nigerian has a right to know whether the commitments made in the aftermath of one of the darkest moments in our nation’s history have translated into meaningful protection for future generations,” it stated. The organisation urged the Federal Government to publish a comprehensive status report on the Safe Schools Initiative, including financial records, implementation outcomes, independent evaluations and future plans for strengthening school security nationwide. “Nigerian children deserve more than assurances. They deserve results. They deserve safe schools,” WELA said.
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