1.3M Nigerian children affected by attacks on schools: UN

By Ibrahim Garba Shuaibu

KANO, Nigeria (AA) - About 1.3 million Nigerian children have been affect by attacks or abductions at schools in the last academic year, according to UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Edward Kallon.

“I strongly condemn every form of attack that has kept many children away from schools. I call on the Federal and State Governments to do more to protect schools from attack and to ensure that teaching and learning is safe and conducive in all schools in Nigeria,” he said in a statement commemorating the 2021 International Day to Protect Education from Attack.

“Children are traumatized; parents are scared; teachers and school administrators are afraid; attacks on schools are gradually spreading to areas not known to insurgents. With education under attack, the collective future of Nigeria is under threat. This must stop now,” said Kallon.

“Across the north-east region alone, over 600,000 children remain out of school and some 1.1 million need educational support to stay in school. This has all been compounded by the setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

International humanitarian affairs analyst Dr. Musa Abdullahi Sufi said: "We have been advising the government to provide enough security to our schools because this banditry activity is kicking our children out of school."

There has been no comment by the federal government.