As Nigeria marks 27 years of uninterrupted democratic governance and the current administration celebrates its third year in office, the plight of dozens of children reportedly held captive by bandits in the forests of Ogbomosho, Oyo State, casts a dark shadow over these milestones.
The coincidence of Democracy Day celebrations with Children’s Day presents a painful contrast. Rather than celebrating the progress and well-being of children—the future of the nation—many Nigerians are confronted with disturbing images of innocent children languishing in captivity under inhumane conditions at the hands of ruthless criminals.
Historically, even notorious criminal organizations portrayed in popular culture often avoided actions that could harm children. It is, therefore, particularly shocking that bandits and terrorists operating in parts of Nigeria now target schoolchildren, including toddlers and infants, subjecting them to unimaginable suffering.
The recent abductions in Oyo and Borno States evoke painful memories of the Chibok schoolgirls’ kidnapping in 2014, which marked a turning point in Nigeria’s security crisis. That tragedy inspired the global #BringBackOurGirls campaign, championed by figures such as Oby Ezekwesili and supported by world leaders, including Barack Obama and Michelle Obama.
More than a decade later, many of the Chibok girls remain unaccounted for. Nigeria must not allow the current Ogbomosho tragedy to follow the same path. The international community, humanitarian organizations, religious institutions, and world leaders should be moved by the suffering of these children and intensify efforts to secure their release and prevent further tragedies.
The broader consequences of insecurity are equally alarming. The education sector has suffered immensely, contributing to Nigeria’s growing population of out-of-school children, estimated to be among the highest in the world. Agriculture has also been severely affected, as many farmers have abandoned their fields and now live in displacement camps due to insecurity.
The result is a dangerous cycle: children are denied education, food insecurity worsens, and millions of young Nigerians face an uncertain future. As experts have repeatedly noted, malnutrition not only stunts physical growth but also impairs cognitive development, threatening the nation’s long-term human capital.
At a time when Nigeria should be celebrating the promise of its children, the country is instead confronted by the grim reality that many of them remain vulnerable to violence, displacement, and deprivation. Breaking this cycle must become an urgent national priority.
For a nation undertaking far-reaching reforms across key sectors of its economy and governance, it is deeply troubling that Nigeria continues to grapple with a growing out-of-school children crisis.
On the economic front, reforms such as the removal of fuel subsidies to curb waste, the managed float of the naira to achieve a more realistic exchange rate, and tax reforms aimed at broadening the revenue base are beginning to show encouraging signs. Politically, initiatives such as the Electoral Act 2026, designed to make the process of electing leaders more transparent and credible, as well as the Supreme Court’s ruling on local government autonomy, are intended to deepen grassroots development by ensuring that resources reach all 774 local government areas rather than being concentrated in the 36 state capitals.
While these reforms are gradually yielding positive results, the alarming rise in the number of out-of-school children paints a disturbing picture of the future. Current statistics indicate that about one in four children aged 5–14 in southern Nigeria is out of school, with the figure rising to as much as 41 percent in parts of the North-East and Northwest. Insecurity, poverty, and inadequate educational infrastructure remain the principal drivers of this crisis.
As a concerned citizen and advocate for children’s welfare, I find the recent abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo State particularly distressing. It should concern not only Nigerians but all people of goodwill across the world who value the safety and future of children.
What makes the situation even more alarming is that a menace once largely associated with the North-East, Northwest, and parts of North-Central Nigeria is now occurring in Oyo State, uncomfortably close to Lagos.
Having lost a daughter in 2017 due to failures within our healthcare system, any threat to the lives of children affects me deeply. Consequently, I am increasingly concerned that insecurity is gradually encroaching upon Lagos, a city once considered relatively insulated from the violent crimes now troubling much of the country.
That concern was reinforced on May 24 when my daughters and their cousins were detained for several hours in Lagos by individuals dressed as officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC). Their vehicle was stopped over an alleged traffic infraction, and they were ordered to disembark without any clear explanation. Given widespread reports of criminals impersonating security personnel, the young women feared they could be kidnappers operating under the guise of law enforcement.
Despite repeated requests that the officials issue a formal ticket if an offense had been committed, the situation dragged on unnecessarily. Fortunately, while I was at the VIP lounge of Asaba Airport, a Good Samaritan who overheard our distressing conversations intervened by connecting us with a senior FRSC official. Following that intervention, the matter was resolved, and my daughters were released.
The experience was deeply unsettling and underscored how pervasive insecurity has become in our society. It also highlighted the growing distrust many citizens now feel, even when dealing with individuals wearing official uniforms.
The Good Samaritan who assisted us, a senior judicial officer whom I am not at liberty to identify, acted purely out of compassion and a commitment to justice. His intervention prevented what could have become an even more traumatic experience.
Later that same day, another disturbing account reached me from my cousin, Joe Osazuwa, a resident of Victoria Garden City (VGC), Lagos. He lamented the worsening security situation in the state and recounted the tragic death of his driver’s wife while attempting to cross a major highway. His experience further reinforced my concerns about the growing insecurity in Lagos and the urgent need for stronger protective measures for residents.
It is against this backdrop that he issued an appeal titled: “Urgent Appeal for Enhanced Security Measures on Flyovers in Lagos.””
Last night, I struggled to sleep as I reflected on the troubling realities facing our beloved country. My sorrow was not for myself but for Nigeria and her people.
I love Nigeria deeply, yet I am often left asking why we continue to tolerate conditions that endanger innocent lives. While the Lagos State Government deserves credit for constructing pedestrian bridges and flyovers to improve public safety, many of these structures have increasingly become hotspots for crime and violence. Reports of robbery, assault, and molestation have made many residents fearful of using facilities that were built for their protection.
A few months ago, my driver’s wife told me she no longer used a pedestrian bridge because she had previously been attacked and robbed there. Although I warned her about the dangers of crossing the expressway on foot, she replied with a painful question: “Which is worse—being hit by a vehicle or being attacked on the bridge?”
Sadly, last Sunday evening at Ikota on the Lekki-Epe Expressway, she was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver while crossing the road on foot.
Her death is a tragic reminder of the consequences of insecurity. An innocent woman has lost her life, leaving behind two young children and a grieving husband. It is a tragedy that should compel us all to demand better.
I therefore urge the authorities to strengthen security around pedestrian bridges through regular patrols, improved lighting, and surveillance measures so that citizens can use these facilities without fear.
This unfortunate incident, alongside other recent security concerns, points to a gradual weakening of the security architecture in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital. It also underscores the need to reinvigorate initiatives such as the Lagos Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), which was established through a public-private partnership to support security operations in the state.
Beyond Lagos, insecurity has become a national crisis. The recent kidnappings of schoolchildren in Oyo State are a painful reminder that banditry and abductions continue to threaten lives and disrupt education across the country.
The reality is that ending school kidnappings will require a combination of measures. There is no single solution. Security agencies must be strengthened, intelligence gathering improved, vulnerable schools better protected, and broader reforms implemented to address the root causes of insecurity.
While temporary measures such as suspending boarding operations in high-risk areas may reduce exposure to attacks, they also risk worsening Nigeria’s already alarming out-of-school-children crisis.
Ultimately, the nation can not reverse decades of security decline overnight. However, the government must remain focused on delivering practical solutions. Recent efforts by President Tinubu, including deploying senior officials and additional security personnel to affected areas, are welcome, but more comprehensive reforms are needed.
Among these reforms is the urgent consideration of state and local policing, which could help bridge the gap between local security challenges and Nigeria’s highly centralized policing structure.
At this critical moment, protecting our children and restoring public confidence in safety and security must remain a national priority. No country can prosper when its citizens live in fear, and no society can afford to abandon its children to violence and uncertainty.
That reform would go a long way toward addressing the policing gap created by Nigeria’s centralized security structure. Although state governors are officially designated as the chief security officers of their states, they have little or no direct control over the security agencies operating within their jurisdictions.
Unfortunately, the constitutional amendment process required to make such reforms possible has been slowed by the intense political activities surrounding party congresses and primary elections in recent months. As a result, lawmakers who had pledged to review the 1999 Constitution have yet to deliver on that commitment. Nevertheless, during the recent Sallah celebrations, Senate President Godswill Akpabio reiterated the National Assembly’s resolve to pursue constitutional reforms when he met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly in response to the worsening security situation across the country.
Consequently, when legislators resume from recess, they must treat this issue as a matter of urgency. Failure to do so may reinforce the growing perception among many Nigerians that their concerns are being ignored despite repeated assurances from the government. Across the country, frustration is mounting as terrorists, bandits, and other criminal elements continue to carry out increasingly audacious attacks with seeming impunity.
Despite the efforts of the current administration, the reality remains that ending school kidnappings in Nigeria can not be achieved through a single policy measure. It requires a comprehensive strategy that tackles multiple vulnerabilities simultaneously.
That said, if President Tinubu approaches the fight against insecurity with the same determination and urgency that characterized the removal of fuel subsidies—a policy widely regarded as fiscally unsustainable—there is reason to believe that Nigeria can be pulled back from the brink of the lawlessness and disorder that enemies of the state appear intent on fostering.
There is no denying that the challenge is formidable. Indeed, insecurity has remained one of Nigeria’s most persistent problems, defying successive administrations since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
For this reason, awareness campaigns alone, such as the #BringBackOurGirls movement that emerged following the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls in 2014, have proven insufficient. While the campaign succeeded in drawing global attention to the tragedy, it did not eliminate the underlying criminal enterprise. In fact, kidnapping for ransom has since evolved into a thriving industry across many parts of the country.
In some respects, this mirrors the experience of the 1980s, when convicted drug traffickers were publicly executed at Bar Beach in Lagos in an effort to deter narcotics crimes. Rather than eradicating drug trafficking, however, the practice persisted, suggesting that public outrage alone is rarely enough to eliminate deeply entrenched criminal activities.
Twelve years after the Chibok tragedy and the global campaign it inspired, many Nigerians believe the time has come to move beyond rhetoric and focus on practical, sustainable solutions.
One such solution worth considering is the construction of perimeter fences and other protective infrastructure around schools located in high-risk areas.
Why should wealthy nations, international foundations, and global charitable organizations not contribute to such an effort? Institutions associated with countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Norway, as well as faith-based organizations including the Vatican and other philanthropic bodies, possess substantial resources that could help protect vulnerable children and safeguard access to education.
This is fundamentally about preserving lives and ensuring that children can continue to learn in safety. Few causes command greater moral urgency or universal sympathy.
The issue becomes even more compelling when viewed against the ideological objectives of extremist groups such as Boko Haram, whose name is commonly interpreted as “Western education is forbidden.” If insecurity forces schools to close, the extremists effectively advance one of their core objectives.
Assistance need not come solely from abroad. Corporate Nigeria has repeatedly demonstrated its capacity to support national development initiatives. Under existing tax-credit arrangements, private firms have participated in road construction and rehabilitation projects. A similar model could be applied to school security.
Why, for instance, should major corporations not adopt schools in vulnerable rural communities by financing perimeter fencing, gates, and security infrastructure in exchange for tax incentives?
The urgency of the situation certainly warrants creative thinking.
If there is one issue capable of mobilizing widespread support, it is the welfare of children. As humanitarian advocates often observe, children in distress tend to attract immediate sympathy and assistance. The same level of urgency should be applied to protecting children in classrooms.
Government resources alone are unlikely to be sufficient. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Corporate Nigeria demonstrated remarkable leadership by pooling resources to establish treatment centers and support healthcare interventions. Financial institutions and other profitable corporations could similarly contribute to securing schools and protecting vulnerable communities.
Security experts estimate that constructing a basic perimeter fence, gate, and guard post for a rural school could cost between ₦15 million and ₦40 million, depending on the size of the facility. With an estimated 500 to 800 schools located in high-risk local government areas across states such as Zamfara, Katsina, Niger, Sokoto, Kaduna, and Borno, the total investment required would likely range between ₦7.5 billion and ₦32 billion.
When viewed against the scale of national and international spending on other priorities, this is not an insurmountable figure.
The challenge, therefore, may not be a lack of resources but rather the absence of a coordinated and compelling proposal directed at the right governments, institutions, corporations, and philanthropists.
As Yakubu Gowon reportedly reflected in his memoir My Life of Service and Alliance, there was a time when Nigeria’s financial standing was so strong that the country was able to extend assistance to international institutions. That historical perspective reminds us that circumstances can change dramatically when leadership and vision align.
So why has large-scale assistance not yet materialized?
One major obstacle is sovereignty and politics. International partners can not simply enter Nigeria and undertake projects without government approval and cooperation. Experience has shown that donor-funded initiatives can encounter delays when disagreements arise over project implementation, contractor selection, oversight, or accountability. Understandably, donors want assurances that their contributions will be transparently managed and effectively utilized.
A second challenge is maintenance. Constructing a fence is one thing; maintaining it is another. Questions inevitably arise about repairs, security personnel, and long-term operational costs. Most donors are comfortable funding infrastructure but less willing to finance recurrent expenditures.
The third challenge involves reputational risk. Donors may worry that if an attack occurs despite their support, they could be blamed for the failure. As a result, many organizations prefer lower-risk interventions such as scholarships or educational grants rather than investments in security-related infrastructure.
The fourth obstacle is fragmentation. International organizations, governments, charities, and development agencies often operate according to different priorities, timelines, and funding frameworks. Without a central coordinating mechanism, efforts can become scattered and less effective than they otherwise might be.
Yet despite these challenges, there are encouraging precedents. Following the Dapchi school abduction, collaborative efforts involving international partners reportedly supported school security improvements in parts of northeastern Nigeria. Likewise, educational initiatives backed by organizations such as UNICEF, UNESCO, and the Qatar Foundation demonstrate that international cooperation in this area is both possible and practical.
In essence, the blueprint already exists. What appears to be missing is a strong coordinating framework, sustained political will, and effective leadership capable of bringing together governments, donors, corporations, and communities around a common objective.
Children inspire compassion everywhere in the world. The task before us is to transform that compassion into concrete action capable of protecting lives and preserving educational opportunities.
My hope is that philanthropists, foundations, corporations, and even foreign governments may be inspired to adopt vulnerable schools in states such as Zamfara, Niger, Sokoto, Katsina, and Oyo by supporting protective infrastructure and security initiatives.
History offers examples of what collective action can achieve. In 1984, the Band Aid initiative led by Bob Geldof brought together international music stars, including Michael Jackson, to raise funds for famine victims in the Horn of Africa.
Today, Nigeria faces a different humanitarian challenge, but one that is no less urgent. At this critical moment in our nation’s history, we can not afford to abandon our children to the mercy of bandits. Protecting them, securing their education, and safeguarding their future must become a national priority and a shared responsibility for all who value human dignity and the promise of the next generation.
There are other options of children attending school without their lives being at risk of being harmed by the marauders that have become unhinged in the red zones. This includes converting schools to day attendance only without boarding and also transferring pupils/students in the kidnap vulnerable areas to safer environments where more protection for the pupils/students and teachers can be provided.
But all these options will come at a cost that the parents and their wards may not afford.
In the final analysis, it is universally acknowledged that children are the future.
When they are caught up in hostile environments such as our children attending schools in the hinterlands have ended up as ransom commodities in the captivity of merchants of death as the children from schools around Ogbomosho their space and future become shrunk.
Unfortunately, no matter how innovative and creative one is in trying to find solutions to school children kidnapping, one can not guarantee anything in a hostile environment. But one can stack the odds so that kids stay safe, resilient, and have options later.
That is what l have tried to do with this intervention.
One may not know whether he has been successful, until one sees the good Samaritans-international and local philanthropists, our large conglomerates, rich nations with huge sovereign wealth funds, nembers of the billionaires club and business titans dotting Nigeria’s economic landscape and indeed the global space taking the bold action of being counted as one of the knights in shining armor who stood up to help save our children, our future by not only condemning the dastardly act of abducting children to be used as commodities of exchange for money as #Bring Back Girls campaign did in 2014 when it went viral globally, but doing something concrete to prevent or end it.
This is a Clarion call.
Magnus Onyibe, an entrepreneur, public policy analyst, author, democracy advocate, development strategist, an alumnus of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Massachusetts, USA, a Commonwealth Institute scholar, and a former commissioner in the Delta State government, sent this piece from Lagos.
