NO fewer than 723 schools are reported to have been closed down in nine states across the country due to insecurity and occupation of the school premises by state and non-state actors, Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, including incidents of flood leading to obstruction of teaching and learning in the affected schools.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, Safe School Data,(September 2023) the states affected included Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Imo, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara states.
A breakdown of the data indicated that 26 schools were closed in Adamawa State, Benue had 28 of its schools closed, Borno 72 schools, Imo 62 schools, Katsina 61 schools, Kebbi 68 schools, Sokoto 115 schools, Yobe 15 schools and Zamfara 276 schools.
The data further indicated that State actors occupied seven schools in Adamawa State, 11 were occupied in Benue, 36 in Borno, one in Imo, seven in Katsina, one in Yobe and 22 in Zamfara state.
Meanwhile, non-state actors were reported to have taken over two schools in Borno state, 45 in Imo and 134 Zamfara states.
The data further indicated that nine schools were closed down due to incidents of flood in Adamawa State, 19 in Borno, 16 in Imo, 54 in Katsina, 24 in Kebbi, 109 in Sokoto, 14 in Yobe and 58 in Zamfara State.
Also, six States of Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara hada 154 of their schools occupied by Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs.
According to the data, the number of IDPs occupied schools in Adamawa stood at 10, Benue 17, Borno 15, Kebbi 44, Sokoto six, and Zamfara 62.
Speaking on the importance of education to the child, the Communication Officer, UNICEF, Enugu FIeld Office, Dr. Ijeoma Onuoha-Ogwe said “education is a right of every child, it should not just happen to a child in Nigeria as a chance but a right.”
