President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered security agencies and relevant authorities to strengthen protection around schools located in high-risk areas across Nigeria as part of efforts to safeguard children and secure the release of abducted pupils and teachers.
The directive was issued on Wednesday in the President’s Children’s Day message titled, “President Tinubu’s Statement on Children’s Day and Our Children in Captivity.”
According to Tinubu, the new measures will include updated school vulnerability mapping, improved collaboration between state governments and security agencies, rapid response communication channels between schools and local security units, as well as stronger community-based early warning systems.
The President also instructed security agencies to intensify intelligence-driven rescue operations aimed at securing the release of children and vulnerable citizens currently held by criminal groups, particularly in parts of Oyo State and Borno State.
Speaking on the plight of abducted children and teachers, Tinubu said many families were unable to celebrate Children’s Day and Eid-el-Kabir peacefully because their loved ones remained in captivity.
“As we mark this special day, which coincides with Eid-el-Kabir, some Nigerian children and their teachers in Oyo and Borno should be with their families, but are being held captive by criminals,” he said.
The President assured affected families that the Federal Government had not abandoned them and would continue efforts until all abducted children were safely reunited with their loved ones.
“To those children, their parents, and their teachers, I say this as a father and your President: you are not forgotten. You are not abandoned,” Tinubu stated.
He further pledged that those responsible for kidnapping and violence against children would be brought to justice, stressing that government actions would go beyond symbolic gestures.
Tinubu disclosed that all security agencies had been directed to sustain coordinated rescue operations nationwide, emphasizing that such operations must be intelligence-led and carefully executed to ensure the safety of victims.
The President also tasked the Federal Ministry of Education and state governments with strengthening the implementation of the Safe Schools framework, insisting that schools in vulnerable communities must have clear emergency procedures and response plans.
“Every school in a vulnerable area must know who to call, what to do, where to move, and how to protect children when danger is identified,” he said.
Beyond rescue operations, Tinubu said his administration would provide long-term support for children affected by abduction, violence and displacement through counselling, medical care, education and rehabilitation programmes.
He stressed that protecting children should not be left to government alone, calling on parents, teachers, traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth groups, transport unions, vigilantes and the media to play active roles in safeguarding children.
According to him, early reporting of suspicious activities around schools and communities could help prevent attacks and save lives.
The President added that his administration remained committed to building a Nigeria where every child can access quality education, healthcare, nutrition, digital skills and safe learning environments without fear.