Northern Coalition Decries School Closures Amid Security Crisis
The Voices for Inclusion and Equity for Women (VIEW), a prominent northern coalition, has strongly condemned the widespread closure of schools across northern Nigeria in response to escalating kidnappings. The group described the shutdown of educational institutions as a surrender to terror rather than a security strategy.
VIEW issued this position in reaction to recent mass abductions, including the kidnapping of schoolgirls from Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, and the capture of more than 300 pupils and staff from St. Mary's Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State.
Government Response Criticized as Panic-Driven
In a press statement dated November 22, 2025 and signed by prominent members including Asmau Joda, Maryam Uwais, Mairo Mandara, Aisha Oyebode, Fatima Akilu, Kadaria Ahmed, Larai Ocheja Amusan and Ier Jonathan-Ichaver, VIEW characterized the situation as a national failure.
Families are living a nightmare no society should tolerate, the coalition stated, adding that northern Nigeria has been plunged into fear, paralysis, and grief. They emphasized that the current situation represents terror rather than mere insecurity.
The group particularly criticized the closure of schools across Niger and Kebbi States, as well as the suspension of unity schools throughout the northern region. VIEW described these measures as reflecting panic rather than protection, arguing that instead of responding with strategy, urgency, and courage, the government is making decisions that abandon children's education.
Educational Crisis Deepens for Northern Girls
VIEW highlighted the devastating consequences of school closures, particularly for female students in northern Nigeria. The coalition noted that the region already bears the highest burden of female illiteracy in the country, and further disruptions to education will only worsen this inequality.
Every shuttered classroom widens inequality; every child kept at home deepens fear and further entrenches disadvantage, the statement declared. The coalition emphasized that keeping children out of school constitutes abandonment rather than protection.
The group reiterated its long-standing position that children's education must be safeguarded through proper protection measures rather than disrupted through closures. They warned that blanket school shutdowns effectively punish children for the state's security failures while eroding educational progress and emboldening attackers.
Call for Proactive Security Measures
VIEW urged the federal government to implement a comprehensive, intelligence-driven security response that includes:
- Immediate rescue operations for abducted students
- Transparent daily updates on security situations
- Serious overhaul of Nigeria's security infrastructure
- Strategic protection of educational institutions
Schools must be protected, not emptied, VIEW insisted. They must be secured and strengthened, not converted into symbols of helplessness.
The coalition specifically mentioned the children of Maga and Papiri, along with those previously affected in Chibok, Dapchi, Yauri, Jangebe, and other communities, stating they deserve the full force of the state's protection.
VIEW emphasized that education remains an imperative for all Nigerian children and that the future of northern Nigeria cannot be surrendered to fear. The coalition, active across North Central, Northeast, and Northwest Nigeria, remains committed to promoting equitable, inclusive, and just opportunities for women throughout the nation.
