The Presidency has raised fresh concerns over the devastating impact of terrorism on education in Northern Nigeria following revelations that Boko Haram allegedly replenishes its ranks by abducting children from rural communities whenever the group suffers significant losses in combat. The disclosure has renewed fears over the long-term consequences of insurgency for school enrolment, child protection and human capital development across the region.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, stated that the insurgent group frequently targets children from villages and forcibly recruits them into its camps after losing fighters during military operations. According to him, many of the children are taken against their will, while some who eventually escape later surrender to government authorities and undergo rehabilitation.
The revelation has intensified concerns among education stakeholders, who warn that the continued targeting of children by insurgent groups extends beyond a security challenge to become a direct assault on Nigeria’s education system. They note that every child removed from the classroom through abduction represents a setback to national efforts aimed at reducing learning poverty and improving school completion rates.
In many parts of the North-East and other conflict-affected communities, repeated attacks on schools and the abduction of pupils have created an atmosphere of fear that discourages parents from sending their children to school. As a result, enrolment has declined in several vulnerable communities, while absenteeism and school dropouts continue to rise as families prioritise safety over education.
Education experts also caution that children who survive captivity often return with deep psychological trauma that affects their ability to learn and reintegrate into school. Many require specialised counselling, rehabilitation and long-term psychosocial support before they can resume normal academic activities. Without such interventions, survivors may struggle with concentration, social interaction and emotional wellbeing, leading to poor learning outcomes and, in some cases, permanent withdrawal from formal education.
The implications extend to teachers and schools as well. Persistent insecurity has forced the temporary closure of schools in several conflict-prone areas, disrupted academic calendars and discouraged qualified teachers from accepting postings to rural communities. The shortage of teachers, combined with damaged infrastructure and interrupted learning, has further widened educational inequalities between conflict-affected states and more stable parts of the country.
Analysts warn that prolonged disruption of education could have far-reaching socioeconomic consequences. Children denied access to quality education are more likely to experience poverty, unemployment and social exclusion, making them increasingly vulnerable to exploitation, child labour, forced recruitment and other forms of violence. They argue that protecting schools and ensuring uninterrupted learning are essential components of any sustainable counter-terrorism strategy.
The renewed concerns also revive memories of previous attacks on educational institutions, including the Chibok and Dapchi school abductions, which underscored the vulnerability of schools in conflict zones and prompted national and international campaigns for improved school security.
Education advocates are therefore urging governments at all levels to strengthen the Safe Schools Initiative, improve security around educational institutions, expand trauma support services for affected learners and invest in community-based protection measures that encourage parents to keep their children in school despite prevailing security challenges.
They maintain that safeguarding education is critical not only to protecting children’s fundamental rights but also to preventing extremist groups from depriving another generation of the knowledge and opportunities needed to build peaceful and prosperous communities across Northern Nigeria.
