Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has condemned the recent attacks and kidnappings of students from schools in Borno and Oyo States, describing them as a grave threat to Nigeria's future. In a statement posted on his official X account, Obi lamented that schoolchildren have become pawns in a growing ransom economy, endangering their right to education and worsening the country's out-of-school crisis.
Details of the Attacks
Gunmen abducted students from Mussa Primary/Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State and from schools in Ahoro-Esinele, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. In the Oyo incident, a teacher was killed and the principal seized.
Obi's Reaction
Reacting to the incidents on Saturday, Obi wrote: "Sad: Schoolchildren Now 'Pawns in Ransom Economy': There is nothing more heartbreaking for a nation than an inability to protect its children. The recent attacks and kidnappings of students from two schools in Mussa Village, Askira/Uba LGA, Borno State (North-East) and Ahoro-Esinele community, Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State (South-West)—mark a grave crisis that threatens the future of the nation."
He added: "Beyond the immediate terror of these acts, they represent a significant infringement on the basic right to education and a safe upbringing. The fear of further abduction often leads children, especially girls to permanently leave school."
Impact on Education
Obi noted that the ongoing out-of-school crisis is alarming and likely to worsen due to these distressing incidents. In areas frequently affected by such attacks, education systems deteriorate, and fear becomes a substantial obstacle to school enrollment, adding to the already high number of children not attending school.
Call for Action
The former Governor of Anambra State emphasized that ensuring school safety is a moral obligation. He urged prioritization of school safety through community intelligence, fortified facilities, and accountable justice systems. "Protecting the next generation demands a blend of community-led intelligence, the physical strengthening of educational facilities, and a transparent justice system that holds wrongdoers accountable," he stated.
Concluding, Obi said: "For the actualisation of a new Nigeria that is POssible, we must make the safety, education, and wellbeing of our children a priority."
