Account for N144.86bn Safe Schools Fund, Atiku tells FG

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has challenged the Nigerian Federal Government to account for ₦144.86 billion designated for the National Plan on Financing Safe Schools. His demand comes amid reports of widespread insecurity forcing school closures in approximately 40 local government areas across the country.

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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?

Abubakar criticized the government's strategy, arguing that the ongoing disruption of education by terrorists, bandits, and other armed groups highlights a fundamental failure in securing educational institutions. He pointed out that this situation worsens Nigeria's already severe crisis of out-of-school children. "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?" he stated.

The presidential candidate demanded a detailed accounting of the program, including funds mobilized and released, recipients of the funds, schools covered, security infrastructure provided, and measurable outcomes. He stressed that financial accountability alone is insufficient, stating, "Budgeting money is not the same thing as securing schools. Announcing programmes is not the same thing as protecting children." Abubakar asserted that the program's effectiveness should be measured by whether children can attend school safely, a test he believes the current approach is failing.

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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.

Abubakar proposed a shift from a centralized, Abuja-driven model to a decentralized, intelligence-led security system integrated with community-based intelligence. "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 explained. He believes this approach is necessary to address the underlying security challenges that threaten educational continuity.

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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.