Amnesty International Nigeria has raised the alarm over the rising wave of mass abductions of pupils and students from schools, warning that the trend could cause serious setbacks to education in Northern Nigeria.
The Country Director, Isa Sanusi, made the disclosure on Monday during an interview with Channels Television monitored by Daily Post. Sanusi said the trauma associated with abduction, or even the fear of being abducted, is likely to prevent thousands of children from attending school.
He added that many parents would now be hesitant to send their children to school amid the growing threat of kidnappings.
“The trauma that comes with being abducted, or with the fear of being abducted, is going to prevent thousands of children from getting education completely,” he said.
“In many rural areas, children play key roles in households, and parents already make significant sacrifices to allow their children to go to school. Now, with these failures, education will suffer even more setbacks, especially in Northern Nigeria. People will be scared of going to school, and parents will be more skeptical about allowing their children to attend.”
Sanusi cautioned that if the trend continues, it could result in an entire generation of children being denied access to education. He urged the government to take urgent measures to address the security challenges and protect students in schools across the region.
