Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has challenged the Federal Government to explain how the ₦144.86bn allocated under the National Plan on Financing Safe Schools has been deployed, following reports that insecurity has forced schools to shut down across about 40 local government areas.Atiku said the continued disruption of education by terrorists, bandits and other armed groups exposed what he described as a failure of the government’s approach to securing schools, particularly amid Nigeria’s already severe out-of-school crisis.In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the effectiveness of the Safe Schools programme should be judged by whether children and teachers can actually attend school without fear of attack.“At a time when Nigeria is already battling a severe out-of-school crisis, insecurity is driving even more children from the classroom.“If schools across about 40 local government areas cannot operate because government cannot guarantee the safety of pupils and teachers, Nigerians are entitled to ask a simple question: where is the ₦144.86bn Safe Schools programme in all of this?” the statement partly read.The African Democratic Congress presidential candidate demanded a comprehensive account of the programme, including the amount so far mobilised and released, the agencies and contractors that received the funds, the schools covered, security infrastructure delivered and the measurable results achieved.He, however, argued that financial accountability alone would not address the underlying security challenge.“Budgeting money is not the same thing as securing schools. Announcing programmes is not the same thing as protecting children. The true measure of a Safe Schools programme is whether our children can actually go to school safely. By that elementary test, the present approach is failing,” he said.The Safe Schools programme was introduced as part of the Federal Government’s response to the persistent attacks on educational institutions, particularly in conflict-affected parts of the country.The issue has acquired greater urgency following a series of abductions and attacks on schools in northern Nigeria, which have repeatedly disrupted academic activities and forced parents to weigh education against the safety of their children.Atiku said the government needed to move away from what he described as a centralised, Abuja-driven approach to school protection and instead build a security system that draws intelligence from communities where vulnerable schools are located.“What Nigeria requires is a completely different security philosophy. Under my administration, school security will not be treated as another Abuja contract-awarding programme. It will be integrated into a decentralised, intelligence-led security architecture built around the communities where these schools actually exist,” he added.He proposed functional early-warning and rapid-response systems around vulnerable schools, improved intelligence sharing among schools, local communities and security agencies, and clearly defined security and emergency-response arrangements for institutions considered to be at high risk.According to him, residents often possess information about unusual movements and emerging threats before such intelligence reaches federal security agencies.“Local communities know their terrain. They know when unfamiliar people enter their communities and often see the warning signs before Abuja does. Our security architecture will make that local intelligence part of the national response rather than leaving communities helpless until an attack has already occurred,” the statement further read.The ADC candidate also called for a system in which every naira spent on school security could be traced to a specific outcome.Related NewsArmy rescues nine kidnapped victims in KogiCannabis cultivation fueling kidnapping, cultism in Edo – NDLEAFG promises to settle 20-year backlog of workers’ entitlements“Safe Schools will be measured by children in classrooms, not billions in government documents,” he said.Atiku’s criticism comes against the backdrop of fresh concerns over the safety of students in Borno State, one of the areas worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency and subsequent attacks by other armed groups.The statement cited reports that 36 students and a staff member of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, were abducted by gunmen during examinations in late June. It also referred to reports that 42 pupils remained missing following an attack in Mussa on May 15.Atiku said the continued captivity of schoolchildren illustrated the direct connection between insecurity and Nigeria’s education crisis.“Every school that closes creates another opening for poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation. Every child driven from the classroom becomes more vulnerable to the same criminal and extremist networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore itself a national security strategy,” the said.The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. Atiku said the continued disruption of education by terrorists, bandits and other armed groups exposed what he described as a failure of the government’s approach to securing schools, particularly amid Nigeria’s already severe out-of-school crisis.In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the effectiveness of the Safe Schools programme should be judged by whether children and teachers can actually attend school without fear of attack.“At a time when Nigeria is already battling a severe out-of-school crisis, insecurity is driving even more children from the classroom.“If schools across about 40 local government areas cannot operate because government cannot guarantee the safety of pupils and teachers, Nigerians are entitled to ask a simple question: where is the ₦144.86bn Safe Schools programme in all of this?” the statement partly read.The African Democratic Congress presidential candidate demanded a comprehensive account of the programme, including the amount so far mobilised and released, the agencies and contractors that received the funds, the schools covered, security infrastructure delivered and the measurable results achieved.He, however, argued that financial accountability alone would not address the underlying security challenge.“Budgeting money is not the same thing as securing schools. Announcing programmes is not the same thing as protecting children. The true measure of a Safe Schools programme is whether our children can actually go to school safely. By that elementary test, the present approach is failing,” he said.The Safe Schools programme was introduced as part of the Federal Government’s response to the persistent attacks on educational institutions, particularly in conflict-affected parts of the country.The issue has acquired greater urgency following a series of abductions and attacks on schools in northern Nigeria, which have repeatedly disrupted academic activities and forced parents to weigh education against the safety of their children.Atiku said the government needed to move away from what he described as a centralised, Abuja-driven approach to school protection and instead build a security system that draws intelligence from communities where vulnerable schools are located.“What Nigeria requires is a completely different security philosophy. Under my administration, school security will not be treated as another Abuja contract-awarding programme. It will be integrated into a decentralised, intelligence-led security architecture built around the communities where these schools actually exist,” he added.He proposed functional early-warning and rapid-response systems around vulnerable schools, improved intelligence sharing among schools, local communities and security agencies, and clearly defined security and emergency-response arrangements for institutions considered to be at high risk.According to him, residents often possess information about unusual movements and emerging threats before such intelligence reaches federal security agencies.“Local communities know their terrain. They know when unfamiliar people enter their communities and often see the warning signs before Abuja does. Our security architecture will make that local intelligence part of the national response rather than leaving communities helpless until an attack has already occurred,” the statement further read.The ADC candidate also called for a system in which every naira spent on school security could be traced to a specific outcome.Related NewsArmy rescues nine kidnapped victims in KogiCannabis cultivation fueling kidnapping, cultism in Edo – NDLEAFG promises to settle 20-year backlog of workers’ entitlements“Safe Schools will be measured by children in classrooms, not billions in government documents,” he said.Atiku’s criticism comes against the backdrop of fresh concerns over the safety of students in Borno State, one of the areas worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency and subsequent attacks by other armed groups.The statement cited reports that 36 students and a staff member of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, were abducted by gunmen during examinations in late June. It also referred to reports that 42 pupils remained missing following an attack in Mussa on May 15.Atiku said the continued captivity of schoolchildren illustrated the direct connection between insecurity and Nigeria’s education crisis.“Every school that closes creates another opening for poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation. Every child driven from the classroom becomes more vulnerable to the same criminal and extremist networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore itself a national security strategy,” the said.The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the effectiveness of the Safe Schools programme should be judged by whether children and teachers can actually attend school without fear of attack.“At a time when Nigeria is already battling a severe out-of-school crisis, insecurity is driving even more children from the classroom.“If schools across about 40 local government areas cannot operate because government cannot guarantee the safety of pupils and teachers, Nigerians are entitled to ask a simple question: where is the ₦144.86bn Safe Schools programme in all of this?” the statement partly read.The African Democratic Congress presidential candidate demanded a comprehensive account of the programme, including the amount so far mobilised and released, the agencies and contractors that received the funds, the schools covered, security infrastructure delivered and the measurable results achieved.He, however, argued that financial accountability alone would not address the underlying security challenge.“Budgeting money is not the same thing as securing schools. Announcing programmes is not the same thing as protecting children. The true measure of a Safe Schools programme is whether our children can actually go to school safely. By that elementary test, the present approach is failing,” he said.The Safe Schools programme was introduced as part of the Federal Government’s response to the persistent attacks on educational institutions, particularly in conflict-affected parts of the country.The issue has acquired greater urgency following a series of abductions and attacks on schools in northern Nigeria, which have repeatedly disrupted academic activities and forced parents to weigh education against the safety of their children.Atiku said the government needed to move away from what he described as a centralised, Abuja-driven approach to school protection and instead build a security system that draws intelligence from communities where vulnerable schools are located.“What Nigeria requires is a completely different security philosophy. Under my administration, school security will not be treated as another Abuja contract-awarding programme. It will be integrated into a decentralised, intelligence-led security architecture built around the communities where these schools actually exist,” he added.He proposed functional early-warning and rapid-response systems around vulnerable schools, improved intelligence sharing among schools, local communities and security agencies, and clearly defined security and emergency-response arrangements for institutions considered to be at high risk.According to him, residents often possess information about unusual movements and emerging threats before such intelligence reaches federal security agencies.“Local communities know their terrain. They know when unfamiliar people enter their communities and often see the warning signs before Abuja does. Our security architecture will make that local intelligence part of the national response rather than leaving communities helpless until an attack has already occurred,” the statement further read.The ADC candidate also called for a system in which every naira spent on school security could be traced to a specific outcome.Related NewsArmy rescues nine kidnapped victims in KogiCannabis cultivation fueling kidnapping, cultism in Edo – NDLEAFG promises to settle 20-year backlog of workers’ entitlements“Safe Schools will be measured by children in classrooms, not billions in government documents,” he said.Atiku’s criticism comes against the backdrop of fresh concerns over the safety of students in Borno State, one of the areas worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency and subsequent attacks by other armed groups.The statement cited reports that 36 students and a staff member of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, were abducted by gunmen during examinations in late June. It also referred to reports that 42 pupils remained missing following an attack in Mussa on May 15.Atiku said the continued captivity of schoolchildren illustrated the direct connection between insecurity and Nigeria’s education crisis.“Every school that closes creates another opening for poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation. Every child driven from the classroom becomes more vulnerable to the same criminal and extremist networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore itself a national security strategy,” the said.The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. “At a time when Nigeria is already battling a severe out-of-school crisis, insecurity is driving even more children from the classroom.“If schools across about 40 local government areas cannot operate because government cannot guarantee the safety of pupils and teachers, Nigerians are entitled to ask a simple question: where is the ₦144.86bn Safe Schools programme in all of this?” the statement partly read.The African Democratic Congress presidential candidate demanded a comprehensive account of the programme, including the amount so far mobilised and released, the agencies and contractors that received the funds, the schools covered, security infrastructure delivered and the measurable results achieved.He, however, argued that financial accountability alone would not address the underlying security challenge.“Budgeting money is not the same thing as securing schools. Announcing programmes is not the same thing as protecting children. The true measure of a Safe Schools programme is whether our children can actually go to school safely. By that elementary test, the present approach is failing,” he said.The Safe Schools programme was introduced as part of the Federal Government’s response to the persistent attacks on educational institutions, particularly in conflict-affected parts of the country.The issue has acquired greater urgency following a series of abductions and attacks on schools in northern Nigeria, which have repeatedly disrupted academic activities and forced parents to weigh education against the safety of their children.Atiku said the government needed to move away from what he described as a centralised, Abuja-driven approach to school protection and instead build a security system that draws intelligence from communities where vulnerable schools are located.“What Nigeria requires is a completely different security philosophy. Under my administration, school security will not be treated as another Abuja contract-awarding programme. It will be integrated into a decentralised, intelligence-led security architecture built around the communities where these schools actually exist,” he added.He proposed functional early-warning and rapid-response systems around vulnerable schools, improved intelligence sharing among schools, local communities and security agencies, and clearly defined security and emergency-response arrangements for institutions considered to be at high risk.According to him, residents often possess information about unusual movements and emerging threats before such intelligence reaches federal security agencies.“Local communities know their terrain. They know when unfamiliar people enter their communities and often see the warning signs before Abuja does. Our security architecture will make that local intelligence part of the national response rather than leaving communities helpless until an attack has already occurred,” the statement further read.The ADC candidate also called for a system in which every naira spent on school security could be traced to a specific outcome.Related NewsArmy rescues nine kidnapped victims in KogiCannabis cultivation fueling kidnapping, cultism in Edo – NDLEAFG promises to settle 20-year backlog of workers’ entitlements“Safe Schools will be measured by children in classrooms, not billions in government documents,” he said.Atiku’s criticism comes against the backdrop of fresh concerns over the safety of students in Borno State, one of the areas worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency and subsequent attacks by other armed groups.The statement cited reports that 36 students and a staff member of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, were abducted by gunmen during examinations in late June. It also referred to reports that 42 pupils remained missing following an attack in Mussa on May 15.Atiku said the continued captivity of schoolchildren illustrated the direct connection between insecurity and Nigeria’s education crisis.“Every school that closes creates another opening for poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation. Every child driven from the classroom becomes more vulnerable to the same criminal and extremist networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore itself a national security strategy,” the said.The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. “If schools across about 40 local government areas cannot operate because government cannot guarantee the safety of pupils and teachers, Nigerians are entitled to ask a simple question: where is the ₦144.86bn Safe Schools programme in all of this?” the statement partly read.The African Democratic Congress presidential candidate demanded a comprehensive account of the programme, including the amount so far mobilised and released, the agencies and contractors that received the funds, the schools covered, security infrastructure delivered and the measurable results achieved.He, however, argued that financial accountability alone would not address the underlying security challenge.“Budgeting money is not the same thing as securing schools. Announcing programmes is not the same thing as protecting children. The true measure of a Safe Schools programme is whether our children can actually go to school safely. By that elementary test, the present approach is failing,” he said.The Safe Schools programme was introduced as part of the Federal Government’s response to the persistent attacks on educational institutions, particularly in conflict-affected parts of the country.The issue has acquired greater urgency following a series of abductions and attacks on schools in northern Nigeria, which have repeatedly disrupted academic activities and forced parents to weigh education against the safety of their children.Atiku said the government needed to move away from what he described as a centralised, Abuja-driven approach to school protection and instead build a security system that draws intelligence from communities where vulnerable schools are located.“What Nigeria requires is a completely different security philosophy. Under my administration, school security will not be treated as another Abuja contract-awarding programme. It will be integrated into a decentralised, intelligence-led security architecture built around the communities where these schools actually exist,” he added.He proposed functional early-warning and rapid-response systems around vulnerable schools, improved intelligence sharing among schools, local communities and security agencies, and clearly defined security and emergency-response arrangements for institutions considered to be at high risk.According to him, residents often possess information about unusual movements and emerging threats before such intelligence reaches federal security agencies.“Local communities know their terrain. They know when unfamiliar people enter their communities and often see the warning signs before Abuja does. Our security architecture will make that local intelligence part of the national response rather than leaving communities helpless until an attack has already occurred,” the statement further read.The ADC candidate also called for a system in which every naira spent on school security could be traced to a specific outcome.Related NewsArmy rescues nine kidnapped victims in KogiCannabis cultivation fueling kidnapping, cultism in Edo – NDLEAFG promises to settle 20-year backlog of workers’ entitlements“Safe Schools will be measured by children in classrooms, not billions in government documents,” he said.Atiku’s criticism comes against the backdrop of fresh concerns over the safety of students in Borno State, one of the areas worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency and subsequent attacks by other armed groups.The statement cited reports that 36 students and a staff member of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, were abducted by gunmen during examinations in late June. It also referred to reports that 42 pupils remained missing following an attack in Mussa on May 15.Atiku said the continued captivity of schoolchildren illustrated the direct connection between insecurity and Nigeria’s education crisis.“Every school that closes creates another opening for poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation. Every child driven from the classroom becomes more vulnerable to the same criminal and extremist networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore itself a national security strategy,” the said.The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. The African Democratic Congress presidential candidate demanded a comprehensive account of the programme, including the amount so far mobilised and released, the agencies and contractors that received the funds, the schools covered, security infrastructure delivered and the measurable results achieved.He, however, argued that financial accountability alone would not address the underlying security challenge.“Budgeting money is not the same thing as securing schools. Announcing programmes is not the same thing as protecting children. The true measure of a Safe Schools programme is whether our children can actually go to school safely. By that elementary test, the present approach is failing,” he said.The Safe Schools programme was introduced as part of the Federal Government’s response to the persistent attacks on educational institutions, particularly in conflict-affected parts of the country.The issue has acquired greater urgency following a series of abductions and attacks on schools in northern Nigeria, which have repeatedly disrupted academic activities and forced parents to weigh education against the safety of their children.Atiku said the government needed to move away from what he described as a centralised, Abuja-driven approach to school protection and instead build a security system that draws intelligence from communities where vulnerable schools are located.“What Nigeria requires is a completely different security philosophy. Under my administration, school security will not be treated as another Abuja contract-awarding programme. It will be integrated into a decentralised, intelligence-led security architecture built around the communities where these schools actually exist,” he added.He proposed functional early-warning and rapid-response systems around vulnerable schools, improved intelligence sharing among schools, local communities and security agencies, and clearly defined security and emergency-response arrangements for institutions considered to be at high risk.According to him, residents often possess information about unusual movements and emerging threats before such intelligence reaches federal security agencies.“Local communities know their terrain. They know when unfamiliar people enter their communities and often see the warning signs before Abuja does. Our security architecture will make that local intelligence part of the national response rather than leaving communities helpless until an attack has already occurred,” the statement further read.The ADC candidate also called for a system in which every naira spent on school security could be traced to a specific outcome.Related NewsArmy rescues nine kidnapped victims in KogiCannabis cultivation fueling kidnapping, cultism in Edo – NDLEAFG promises to settle 20-year backlog of workers’ entitlements“Safe Schools will be measured by children in classrooms, not billions in government documents,” he said.Atiku’s criticism comes against the backdrop of fresh concerns over the safety of students in Borno State, one of the areas worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency and subsequent attacks by other armed groups.The statement cited reports that 36 students and a staff member of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, were abducted by gunmen during examinations in late June. It also referred to reports that 42 pupils remained missing following an attack in Mussa on May 15.Atiku said the continued captivity of schoolchildren illustrated the direct connection between insecurity and Nigeria’s education crisis.“Every school that closes creates another opening for poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation. Every child driven from the classroom becomes more vulnerable to the same criminal and extremist networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore itself a national security strategy,” the said.The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. He, however, argued that financial accountability alone would not address the underlying security challenge.“Budgeting money is not the same thing as securing schools. Announcing programmes is not the same thing as protecting children. The true measure of a Safe Schools programme is whether our children can actually go to school safely. By that elementary test, the present approach is failing,” he said.The Safe Schools programme was introduced as part of the Federal Government’s response to the persistent attacks on educational institutions, particularly in conflict-affected parts of the country.The issue has acquired greater urgency following a series of abductions and attacks on schools in northern Nigeria, which have repeatedly disrupted academic activities and forced parents to weigh education against the safety of their children.Atiku said the government needed to move away from what he described as a centralised, Abuja-driven approach to school protection and instead build a security system that draws intelligence from communities where vulnerable schools are located.“What Nigeria requires is a completely different security philosophy. Under my administration, school security will not be treated as another Abuja contract-awarding programme. It will be integrated into a decentralised, intelligence-led security architecture built around the communities where these schools actually exist,” he added.He proposed functional early-warning and rapid-response systems around vulnerable schools, improved intelligence sharing among schools, local communities and security agencies, and clearly defined security and emergency-response arrangements for institutions considered to be at high risk.According to him, residents often possess information about unusual movements and emerging threats before such intelligence reaches federal security agencies.“Local communities know their terrain. They know when unfamiliar people enter their communities and often see the warning signs before Abuja does. Our security architecture will make that local intelligence part of the national response rather than leaving communities helpless until an attack has already occurred,” the statement further read.The ADC candidate also called for a system in which every naira spent on school security could be traced to a specific outcome.Related NewsArmy rescues nine kidnapped victims in KogiCannabis cultivation fueling kidnapping, cultism in Edo – NDLEAFG promises to settle 20-year backlog of workers’ entitlements“Safe Schools will be measured by children in classrooms, not billions in government documents,” he said.Atiku’s criticism comes against the backdrop of fresh concerns over the safety of students in Borno State, one of the areas worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency and subsequent attacks by other armed groups.The statement cited reports that 36 students and a staff member of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, were abducted by gunmen during examinations in late June. It also referred to reports that 42 pupils remained missing following an attack in Mussa on May 15.Atiku said the continued captivity of schoolchildren illustrated the direct connection between insecurity and Nigeria’s education crisis.“Every school that closes creates another opening for poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation. Every child driven from the classroom becomes more vulnerable to the same criminal and extremist networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore itself a national security strategy,” the said.The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. “Budgeting money is not the same thing as securing schools. Announcing programmes is not the same thing as protecting children. The true measure of a Safe Schools programme is whether our children can actually go to school safely. By that elementary test, the present approach is failing,” he said.The Safe Schools programme was introduced as part of the Federal Government’s response to the persistent attacks on educational institutions, particularly in conflict-affected parts of the country.The issue has acquired greater urgency following a series of abductions and attacks on schools in northern Nigeria, which have repeatedly disrupted academic activities and forced parents to weigh education against the safety of their children.Atiku said the government needed to move away from what he described as a centralised, Abuja-driven approach to school protection and instead build a security system that draws intelligence from communities where vulnerable schools are located.“What Nigeria requires is a completely different security philosophy. Under my administration, school security will not be treated as another Abuja contract-awarding programme. It will be integrated into a decentralised, intelligence-led security architecture built around the communities where these schools actually exist,” he added.He proposed functional early-warning and rapid-response systems around vulnerable schools, improved intelligence sharing among schools, local communities and security agencies, and clearly defined security and emergency-response arrangements for institutions considered to be at high risk.According to him, residents often possess information about unusual movements and emerging threats before such intelligence reaches federal security agencies.“Local communities know their terrain. They know when unfamiliar people enter their communities and often see the warning signs before Abuja does. Our security architecture will make that local intelligence part of the national response rather than leaving communities helpless until an attack has already occurred,” the statement further read.The ADC candidate also called for a system in which every naira spent on school security could be traced to a specific outcome.Related NewsArmy rescues nine kidnapped victims in KogiCannabis cultivation fueling kidnapping, cultism in Edo – NDLEAFG promises to settle 20-year backlog of workers’ entitlements“Safe Schools will be measured by children in classrooms, not billions in government documents,” he said.Atiku’s criticism comes against the backdrop of fresh concerns over the safety of students in Borno State, one of the areas worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency and subsequent attacks by other armed groups.The statement cited reports that 36 students and a staff member of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, were abducted by gunmen during examinations in late June. It also referred to reports that 42 pupils remained missing following an attack in Mussa on May 15.Atiku said the continued captivity of schoolchildren illustrated the direct connection between insecurity and Nigeria’s education crisis.“Every school that closes creates another opening for poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation. Every child driven from the classroom becomes more vulnerable to the same criminal and extremist networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore itself a national security strategy,” the said.The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. The Safe Schools programme was introduced as part of the Federal Government’s response to the persistent attacks on educational institutions, particularly in conflict-affected parts of the country.The issue has acquired greater urgency following a series of abductions and attacks on schools in northern Nigeria, which have repeatedly disrupted academic activities and forced parents to weigh education against the safety of their children.Atiku said the government needed to move away from what he described as a centralised, Abuja-driven approach to school protection and instead build a security system that draws intelligence from communities where vulnerable schools are located.“What Nigeria requires is a completely different security philosophy. Under my administration, school security will not be treated as another Abuja contract-awarding programme. It will be integrated into a decentralised, intelligence-led security architecture built around the communities where these schools actually exist,” he added.He proposed functional early-warning and rapid-response systems around vulnerable schools, improved intelligence sharing among schools, local communities and security agencies, and clearly defined security and emergency-response arrangements for institutions considered to be at high risk.According to him, residents often possess information about unusual movements and emerging threats before such intelligence reaches federal security agencies.“Local communities know their terrain. They know when unfamiliar people enter their communities and often see the warning signs before Abuja does. Our security architecture will make that local intelligence part of the national response rather than leaving communities helpless until an attack has already occurred,” the statement further read.The ADC candidate also called for a system in which every naira spent on school security could be traced to a specific outcome.Related NewsArmy rescues nine kidnapped victims in KogiCannabis cultivation fueling kidnapping, cultism in Edo – NDLEAFG promises to settle 20-year backlog of workers’ entitlements“Safe Schools will be measured by children in classrooms, not billions in government documents,” he said.Atiku’s criticism comes against the backdrop of fresh concerns over the safety of students in Borno State, one of the areas worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency and subsequent attacks by other armed groups.The statement cited reports that 36 students and a staff member of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, were abducted by gunmen during examinations in late June. It also referred to reports that 42 pupils remained missing following an attack in Mussa on May 15.Atiku said the continued captivity of schoolchildren illustrated the direct connection between insecurity and Nigeria’s education crisis.“Every school that closes creates another opening for poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation. Every child driven from the classroom becomes more vulnerable to the same criminal and extremist networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore itself a national security strategy,” the said.The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. The issue has acquired greater urgency following a series of abductions and attacks on schools in northern Nigeria, which have repeatedly disrupted academic activities and forced parents to weigh education against the safety of their children.Atiku said the government needed to move away from what he described as a centralised, Abuja-driven approach to school protection and instead build a security system that draws intelligence from communities where vulnerable schools are located.“What Nigeria requires is a completely different security philosophy. Under my administration, school security will not be treated as another Abuja contract-awarding programme. It will be integrated into a decentralised, intelligence-led security architecture built around the communities where these schools actually exist,” he added.He proposed functional early-warning and rapid-response systems around vulnerable schools, improved intelligence sharing among schools, local communities and security agencies, and clearly defined security and emergency-response arrangements for institutions considered to be at high risk.According to him, residents often possess information about unusual movements and emerging threats before such intelligence reaches federal security agencies.“Local communities know their terrain. They know when unfamiliar people enter their communities and often see the warning signs before Abuja does. Our security architecture will make that local intelligence part of the national response rather than leaving communities helpless until an attack has already occurred,” the statement further read.The ADC candidate also called for a system in which every naira spent on school security could be traced to a specific outcome.Related NewsArmy rescues nine kidnapped victims in KogiCannabis cultivation fueling kidnapping, cultism in Edo – NDLEAFG promises to settle 20-year backlog of workers’ entitlements“Safe Schools will be measured by children in classrooms, not billions in government documents,” he said.Atiku’s criticism comes against the backdrop of fresh concerns over the safety of students in Borno State, one of the areas worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency and subsequent attacks by other armed groups.The statement cited reports that 36 students and a staff member of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, were abducted by gunmen during examinations in late June. It also referred to reports that 42 pupils remained missing following an attack in Mussa on May 15.Atiku said the continued captivity of schoolchildren illustrated the direct connection between insecurity and Nigeria’s education crisis.“Every school that closes creates another opening for poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation. Every child driven from the classroom becomes more vulnerable to the same criminal and extremist networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore itself a national security strategy,” the said.The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. Atiku said the government needed to move away from what he described as a centralised, Abuja-driven approach to school protection and instead build a security system that draws intelligence from communities where vulnerable schools are located.“What Nigeria requires is a completely different security philosophy. Under my administration, school security will not be treated as another Abuja contract-awarding programme. It will be integrated into a decentralised, intelligence-led security architecture built around the communities where these schools actually exist,” he added.He proposed functional early-warning and rapid-response systems around vulnerable schools, improved intelligence sharing among schools, local communities and security agencies, and clearly defined security and emergency-response arrangements for institutions considered to be at high risk.According to him, residents often possess information about unusual movements and emerging threats before such intelligence reaches federal security agencies.“Local communities know their terrain. They know when unfamiliar people enter their communities and often see the warning signs before Abuja does. Our security architecture will make that local intelligence part of the national response rather than leaving communities helpless until an attack has already occurred,” the statement further read.The ADC candidate also called for a system in which every naira spent on school security could be traced to a specific outcome.Related NewsArmy rescues nine kidnapped victims in KogiCannabis cultivation fueling kidnapping, cultism in Edo – NDLEAFG promises to settle 20-year backlog of workers’ entitlements“Safe Schools will be measured by children in classrooms, not billions in government documents,” he said.Atiku’s criticism comes against the backdrop of fresh concerns over the safety of students in Borno State, one of the areas worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency and subsequent attacks by other armed groups.The statement cited reports that 36 students and a staff member of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, were abducted by gunmen during examinations in late June. It also referred to reports that 42 pupils remained missing following an attack in Mussa on May 15.Atiku said the continued captivity of schoolchildren illustrated the direct connection between insecurity and Nigeria’s education crisis.“Every school that closes creates another opening for poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation. Every child driven from the classroom becomes more vulnerable to the same criminal and extremist networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore itself a national security strategy,” the said.The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. “What Nigeria requires is a completely different security philosophy. Under my administration, school security will not be treated as another Abuja contract-awarding programme. It will be integrated into a decentralised, intelligence-led security architecture built around the communities where these schools actually exist,” he added.He proposed functional early-warning and rapid-response systems around vulnerable schools, improved intelligence sharing among schools, local communities and security agencies, and clearly defined security and emergency-response arrangements for institutions considered to be at high risk.According to him, residents often possess information about unusual movements and emerging threats before such intelligence reaches federal security agencies.“Local communities know their terrain. They know when unfamiliar people enter their communities and often see the warning signs before Abuja does. Our security architecture will make that local intelligence part of the national response rather than leaving communities helpless until an attack has already occurred,” the statement further read.The ADC candidate also called for a system in which every naira spent on school security could be traced to a specific outcome.Related NewsArmy rescues nine kidnapped victims in KogiCannabis cultivation fueling kidnapping, cultism in Edo – NDLEAFG promises to settle 20-year backlog of workers’ entitlements“Safe Schools will be measured by children in classrooms, not billions in government documents,” he said.Atiku’s criticism comes against the backdrop of fresh concerns over the safety of students in Borno State, one of the areas worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency and subsequent attacks by other armed groups.The statement cited reports that 36 students and a staff member of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, were abducted by gunmen during examinations in late June. It also referred to reports that 42 pupils remained missing following an attack in Mussa on May 15.Atiku said the continued captivity of schoolchildren illustrated the direct connection between insecurity and Nigeria’s education crisis.“Every school that closes creates another opening for poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation. Every child driven from the classroom becomes more vulnerable to the same criminal and extremist networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore itself a national security strategy,” the said.The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. He proposed functional early-warning and rapid-response systems around vulnerable schools, improved intelligence sharing among schools, local communities and security agencies, and clearly defined security and emergency-response arrangements for institutions considered to be at high risk.According to him, residents often possess information about unusual movements and emerging threats before such intelligence reaches federal security agencies.“Local communities know their terrain. They know when unfamiliar people enter their communities and often see the warning signs before Abuja does. Our security architecture will make that local intelligence part of the national response rather than leaving communities helpless until an attack has already occurred,” the statement further read.The ADC candidate also called for a system in which every naira spent on school security could be traced to a specific outcome.Related NewsArmy rescues nine kidnapped victims in KogiCannabis cultivation fueling kidnapping, cultism in Edo – NDLEAFG promises to settle 20-year backlog of workers’ entitlements“Safe Schools will be measured by children in classrooms, not billions in government documents,” he said.Atiku’s criticism comes against the backdrop of fresh concerns over the safety of students in Borno State, one of the areas worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency and subsequent attacks by other armed groups.The statement cited reports that 36 students and a staff member of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, were abducted by gunmen during examinations in late June. It also referred to reports that 42 pupils remained missing following an attack in Mussa on May 15.Atiku said the continued captivity of schoolchildren illustrated the direct connection between insecurity and Nigeria’s education crisis.“Every school that closes creates another opening for poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation. Every child driven from the classroom becomes more vulnerable to the same criminal and extremist networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore itself a national security strategy,” the said.The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. According to him, residents often possess information about unusual movements and emerging threats before such intelligence reaches federal security agencies.“Local communities know their terrain. They know when unfamiliar people enter their communities and often see the warning signs before Abuja does. Our security architecture will make that local intelligence part of the national response rather than leaving communities helpless until an attack has already occurred,” the statement further read.The ADC candidate also called for a system in which every naira spent on school security could be traced to a specific outcome.Related NewsArmy rescues nine kidnapped victims in KogiCannabis cultivation fueling kidnapping, cultism in Edo – NDLEAFG promises to settle 20-year backlog of workers’ entitlements“Safe Schools will be measured by children in classrooms, not billions in government documents,” he said.Atiku’s criticism comes against the backdrop of fresh concerns over the safety of students in Borno State, one of the areas worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency and subsequent attacks by other armed groups.The statement cited reports that 36 students and a staff member of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, were abducted by gunmen during examinations in late June. It also referred to reports that 42 pupils remained missing following an attack in Mussa on May 15.Atiku said the continued captivity of schoolchildren illustrated the direct connection between insecurity and Nigeria’s education crisis.“Every school that closes creates another opening for poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation. Every child driven from the classroom becomes more vulnerable to the same criminal and extremist networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore itself a national security strategy,” the said.The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. “Local communities know their terrain. They know when unfamiliar people enter their communities and often see the warning signs before Abuja does. Our security architecture will make that local intelligence part of the national response rather than leaving communities helpless until an attack has already occurred,” the statement further read.The ADC candidate also called for a system in which every naira spent on school security could be traced to a specific outcome.Related NewsArmy rescues nine kidnapped victims in KogiCannabis cultivation fueling kidnapping, cultism in Edo – NDLEAFG promises to settle 20-year backlog of workers’ entitlements“Safe Schools will be measured by children in classrooms, not billions in government documents,” he said.Atiku’s criticism comes against the backdrop of fresh concerns over the safety of students in Borno State, one of the areas worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency and subsequent attacks by other armed groups.The statement cited reports that 36 students and a staff member of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, were abducted by gunmen during examinations in late June. It also referred to reports that 42 pupils remained missing following an attack in Mussa on May 15.Atiku said the continued captivity of schoolchildren illustrated the direct connection between insecurity and Nigeria’s education crisis.“Every school that closes creates another opening for poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation. Every child driven from the classroom becomes more vulnerable to the same criminal and extremist networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore itself a national security strategy,” the said.The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. The ADC candidate also called for a system in which every naira spent on school security could be traced to a specific outcome.Related NewsArmy rescues nine kidnapped victims in KogiCannabis cultivation fueling kidnapping, cultism in Edo – NDLEAFG promises to settle 20-year backlog of workers’ entitlements“Safe Schools will be measured by children in classrooms, not billions in government documents,” he said.Atiku’s criticism comes against the backdrop of fresh concerns over the safety of students in Borno State, one of the areas worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency and subsequent attacks by other armed groups.The statement cited reports that 36 students and a staff member of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, were abducted by gunmen during examinations in late June. It also referred to reports that 42 pupils remained missing following an attack in Mussa on May 15.Atiku said the continued captivity of schoolchildren illustrated the direct connection between insecurity and Nigeria’s education crisis.“Every school that closes creates another opening for poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation. Every child driven from the classroom becomes more vulnerable to the same criminal and extremist networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore itself a national security strategy,” the said.The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. “Safe Schools will be measured by children in classrooms, not billions in government documents,” he said.Atiku’s criticism comes against the backdrop of fresh concerns over the safety of students in Borno State, one of the areas worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency and subsequent attacks by other armed groups.The statement cited reports that 36 students and a staff member of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, were abducted by gunmen during examinations in late June. It also referred to reports that 42 pupils remained missing following an attack in Mussa on May 15.Atiku said the continued captivity of schoolchildren illustrated the direct connection between insecurity and Nigeria’s education crisis.“Every school that closes creates another opening for poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation. Every child driven from the classroom becomes more vulnerable to the same criminal and extremist networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore itself a national security strategy,” the said.The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. Atiku’s criticism comes against the backdrop of fresh concerns over the safety of students in Borno State, one of the areas worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency and subsequent attacks by other armed groups.The statement cited reports that 36 students and a staff member of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, were abducted by gunmen during examinations in late June. It also referred to reports that 42 pupils remained missing following an attack in Mussa on May 15.Atiku said the continued captivity of schoolchildren illustrated the direct connection between insecurity and Nigeria’s education crisis.“Every school that closes creates another opening for poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation. Every child driven from the classroom becomes more vulnerable to the same criminal and extremist networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore itself a national security strategy,” the said.The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. The statement cited reports that 36 students and a staff member of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, were abducted by gunmen during examinations in late June. It also referred to reports that 42 pupils remained missing following an attack in Mussa on May 15.Atiku said the continued captivity of schoolchildren illustrated the direct connection between insecurity and Nigeria’s education crisis.“Every school that closes creates another opening for poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation. Every child driven from the classroom becomes more vulnerable to the same criminal and extremist networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore itself a national security strategy,” the said.The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. Atiku said the continued captivity of schoolchildren illustrated the direct connection between insecurity and Nigeria’s education crisis.“Every school that closes creates another opening for poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation. Every child driven from the classroom becomes more vulnerable to the same criminal and extremist networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore itself a national security strategy,” the said.The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. “Every school that closes creates another opening for poverty, child labour, early marriage, exploitation and radicalisation. Every child driven from the classroom becomes more vulnerable to the same criminal and extremist networks the government claims to be fighting. Protecting education is therefore itself a national security strategy,” the said.The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. The Wazirin Adamawa further challenged President Bola Tinubu over reports that government forces know the locations of forests where kidnappers and terrorists operate.“When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. “When terrorists can decide whether Nigerian children go to school, they are exercising authority that belongs to the Nigerian state. That is not merely an education crisis. It is a surrender of state authority. And since Mr President says his government knows the forests where these kidnappers and terrorists operate, Nigerians are entitled to ask: what exactly are they still doing there?” he asked.He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. He urged the president to deploy security forces to those locations, rescue the abducted children and ensure that their captors face justice.“Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. “Intelligence that tells the government where terrorists are hiding but does not result in their capture or the rescue of their victims is of little comfort to parents whose children remain in captivity,” he said.The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. The former vice president said the issue should not be reduced to statistics, arguing that every child in captivity represents a failure of the state to provide the basic security necessary for education and human development.“These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. “These are not statistics. They are Nigerian children who should be sitting in classrooms, writing examinations, and planning their futures—not names on an endless list of the missing,” he said.Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. Atiku also linked the school-security debate to his wider argument for restructuring Nigeria’s security architecture, with greater reliance on local intelligence, community participation and rapid response.“Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. “Our alternative is straightforward: secure the communities, empower local intelligence, protect vulnerable schools, respond rapidly to threats, measure results, and account for every naira.“A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. “A government cannot announce billions for Safe Schools and expect Nigerians to applaud their failure while terrorists are shutting the schools. Budgetary allocations are not achievements. Press conferences do not protect children. The only result that matters is that a Nigerian child can leave home for school and return safely,” he noted.He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close. He concluded that protecting schools should be regarded not merely as an education policy but as a core component of national security, insisting that under an ADC administration, criminal groups would not be allowed to determine when schools open or close.