Peter Obi has criticised the recent wave of school attacks and abductions recorded in parts of Borno and Oyo States, warning that the trend poses a growing danger to Nigeria’s education sector and its long-term national stability.
In a statement released on Saturday, Obi expressed concern over the incidents, referencing the abduction of pupils from schools in Mussa Village, Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, as well as Ahoro-Esinele community in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
He described both attacks as part of an escalating insecurity challenge affecting learning environments across the country.
He said, “Sad: Schoolchildren Now ‘Pawns in Ransom Economy’ There is nothing more heartbreaking for a nation than an inability to protect its children,” he said.
Obi stressed that repeated assaults on schools go beyond security concerns, describing them as a direct assault on children’s right to education.
According to him, the growing climate of fear is already discouraging school attendance, with girls particularly affected as many are forced to withdraw from school due to the threat of kidnapping.
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“The recent attacks and kidnappings of students from two schools—in Mussa Village, Askira/Uba LGA, Borno State (North-East) and Ahoro-Esinele community, Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State (South-West)—mark a grave crisis that threatens the future of the nation.”
He further warned that insecurity is deepening Nigeria’s out-of-school children problem, noting that anxiety over possible abductions is pushing some pupils to abandon education entirely.
“The fear of further abduction often leads children—especially girls—to permanently leave school,” he said, adding that safety concerns have become a major barrier to learning in affected communities.
Obi also noted that repeated attacks on educational institutions often weaken or collapse schooling systems in vulnerable areas, describing fear as a “substantial obstacle” to enrolment and consistent attendance.
“Ensuring the safety of schools is not just a logistical issue; it is a moral obligation,” he said, calling for stronger intelligence gathering within communities, improved protection of schools, and greater accountability for those responsible for the attacks.
He added that “protecting the next generation demands a blend of community-led intelligence, the physical strengthening of educational facilities, and a transparent justice system that holds wrongdoers accountable.”
The statement follows separate violent incidents reported in both states. In Borno, suspected insurgents reportedly stormed a school in Mussa Village during the morning hours, abducting several students, while others managed to escape into nearby bushes.
In Oyo State, armed assailants invaded schools in the Ahoro-Esinele community in Oriire LGA, killing a teacher and abducting the school principal alongside an unspecified number of students before fleeing into a nearby forest.