Nigerian children have begged the federal government to Implement the national policy on safety, security and violence-free schools.
Deputy Speaker of the National Children’s Parliament, Ibrahim Zanna Sunoma, made the call in a statement issued on Thursday.
He stated this while responding to reports by a civil society group, Save the Children, indicating that more than 1,680 schoolchildren have been kidnapped in Nigeria since 2014 out of which over 180 were killed and nearly 90 injured in 70 attacks between April 2014 and December 2022.
Zanna explained that the situation is leading to the mass withdrawal of children from school and school closures which needs urgent attention for the brighter future of the state.
He appealed to the government to Implement the national policy on safety, security, and violence-free schools across the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“We are appealing to the government and other relevant stakeholders to prioritize expanding the implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration across the country to ensure that children can learn in a protective environment in schools.
“Government at all levels should ensure the implementation of the national policy on safety, security and violence-free schools that would prevent education from attacks, more investments and funding should be made in preventing Education from attacks in all 36 States of the federation and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).”
Country Director at Save the Children Nigeria, Famari Barro, had warned that more needs to be done to prevent attacks and to support children and their families in the aftermath of every violence.