WELA seeks accountability for Safe Schools Initiative amid rising school abductions

Women Empowerment and Legal Aid (WELA) has expressed concern over the continued abduction of schoolchildren and attacks on educational institutions across Nigeria, calling on the Federal Government to account for the implementation of the Safe Schools Initiative launched more than a decade ago.

In a statement signed by its Chairperson, Funmi Falana (SAN), the organisation said recent incidents of school abductions have once again highlighted the vulnerability of schools and the growing fears among parents over the safety of their children.

According to WELA, the recurring attacks underscore the urgent need to assess the effectiveness of the Safe Schools Initiative, which was established in 2014 following the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls.

The organisation recalled that the initiative was launched by the Federal Government in partnership with private sector stakeholders and international development partners to improve school security, protect students and teachers, and ensure uninterrupted access to education.

WELA noted that the programme began with an initial funding commitment of $20 million, comprising $10 million from the Federal Government and $10 million from private sector partners. It added that additional support was later received from international partners, while the Federal Government subsequently introduced the National Plan on Financing Safe Schools (2023–2026), with a projected funding requirement of ₦144.86 billion and an allocation of ₦15 billion in 2023.

“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 statement said.

The organisation cited public reports indicating that more than 1,680 schoolchildren have been kidnapped and about 180 educational facilities attacked since 2014. Other reports, it noted, suggest that over 2,000 students have been abducted within the last decade, while hundreds of schools have been forced to close due to insecurity.

“These figures raise legitimate concerns about the implementation, effectiveness, monitoring and oversight of programmes established specifically to protect Nigerian children and secure educational institutions,” WELA stated.

While acknowledging that Nigeria’s security challenges are complex and multifaceted, the organisation insisted that accountability must remain central to any intervention funded with public resources.

“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.

WELA therefore called on the Federal Government and agencies responsible for the implementation and oversight of the Safe Schools Initiative to provide a comprehensive public account of the programme from inception to date.

The organisation demanded details on the total funding committed to the initiative since 2014, funds disbursed and utilised, the number of schools that have benefited from the programme, schools that received security upgrades, measurable reductions in attacks on schools, and the agencies responsible for implementation, monitoring and oversight.

It also sought information on annual implementation and impact reports, as well as the outcome of the Senate investigation into the utilisation of Safe Schools funds.

According to WELA, the demand is not politically motivated but aimed at ensuring 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,” the organisation stated.

WELA further 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.

“The continued abduction of schoolchildren should not be treated as a recurring news cycle that briefly captures public attention before being forgotten. Nigerian children deserve more than assurances. They deserve results. They deserve safe schools. And they deserve a government that is prepared to account for the promises made in their name,” the statement added.

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