Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Borno State Government has sought firm security guarantees from the military and community stakeholders ahead of plans to reopen seven schools shut down due to insecurity in Askira-Uba and Chibok Local Government Areas. The State Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Engr. Lawan Wakilbe, made the request during a high-level stakeholder engagement in the two local government areas on Thursday, September 17, 2026, according to a report by Daily Post.
Wakilbe said the safety of pupils, students and teachers remained non-negotiable, stressing the need for adequate security arrangements before the affected schools resume academic activities. The commissioner held discussions with commanders of the 28 Task Force Brigade, Chibok, and 115 Task Force Battalion, Askira-Uba, who pledged the military's commitment to securing the schools and their host communities. According to ABC News Nigeria, Wakilbe began the engagement with a visit to the Acting Brigade Commander, 28 Task Force Brigade, Chibok, Col. S. M. Sunusi, and the Acting Commanding Officer, 115 Task Force Battalion, Askira-Uba, Major U. Abbas. He solicited robust military protection for the affected schools and their host communities ahead of resumption.
The affected schools were shut following a string of security incidents, notably the Mussa attack of May 15, 2026, the Kautikari attack of June 13, 2026, and the Lassa attack of June 29, 2026, which raised grave concerns about the safety of pupils, students, and teachers. The seven schools are located in four communities in Askira-Uba and three in Chibok. The Mussa abduction involved 42 schoolchildren, while the Lassa attack saw 36 students and one teacher taken into captivity. As of July 2026, 78 Borno schoolchildren remained in captivity, according to a report by Leadership.
Beyond the military, Wakilbe met with the Emir of Askira, His Royal Highness Alhaji (Dr.) Mai Abdullahi Ibn Muhammadu Askirama, and the Emir of Uba, His Royal Highness Alhaji Ali Samaila Mamza. The royal fathers welcomed the initiative, offered their blessings and pledged the full backing of the traditional institutions and local communities. At the Askira-Uba Local Government Secretariat, the Commissioner engaged the Council Chairman, Hon. Mada Saidu, his Vice, Hon. Bilyaminu Umar Ngulde, and members of the Legislative Council. He charged the council to strengthen its ownership of basic education and scale up support for the Safe School Initiative, particularly in communities scarred by insecurity. The Chairman reaffirmed the Local Government's readiness to work with the State to keep schools open and learners protected.
The delegation also held town-hall meetings with community leaders and stakeholders in Lassa, Dille and Chul, where discussions centred on community-led school safety, parental mobilisation, early reporting of security threats, and sustained partnership between communities, education authorities and security agencies. Wakilbe urged residents to take active ownership of protecting their schools and encouraging children back to the classroom. Traditional and community leaders present included Mr Wadzani Hamadu, Acting District Head, Lassa; Mallam Abdulla, Wakilin District Head, Samuwa; Mr James Indagiju, Wakilin District Head, Dille; and Mr Anthony Ijai Mamza, Village Head, Dille.
The exercise closed with a review session involving Education Secretaries, Head Teachers and Principals from the affected schools. Wakilbe assessed the schools' readiness and directed administrators and teachers to prepare for an effective resumption once security arrangements are confirmed. He also urged them to maintain close coordination with the Ministry, Local Government authorities, traditional institutions, host communities and security agencies, and to enforce full compliance with Safe School protocols. The session further gave school administrators the platform to raise operational concerns and agree on practical measures for a smooth reopening.
The engagement comes amid broader concerns over school safety in Borno State. In September 2026, the Borno State Commissioner of Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar, told Leadership that the protection of children remained a priority, with a committee established to address school safety. He said the state government was complying with the federal government's Safe School Initiative and had put security protocols in place for schools across the state. According to him, schools that could not meet the required security standards because of their distance or remote locations would have their pupils and students relocated to better-protected schools. The security protocols included proper fencing and fortification of school premises, as well as the deployment of a combination of security personnel from the military, police and other security agencies.
The planned reopening of the seven schools represents a critical test of the Borno State Government's ability to balance the imperative of education with the reality of persistent security threats. For the families of the 78 children still in captivity, the reopening of schools is a painful reminder of the children who are yet to return home. For the government, it is a delicate calculation between restoring normalcy and risking another attack. The military's pledge of protection is a necessary first step, but the ultimate guarantee of safety will depend on sustained vigilance, community cooperation, and the ability of security forces to prevent the kind of attacks that forced the schools to close in the first place. As one parent in Askira-Uba put it, no amount of security promises can replace the certainty that their children will return home safely at the end of each school day.
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