Atiku Abubakar Demands Accountability for Safe Schools Fund

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has challenged the Federal Government to provide a detailed account of the ₦144.86 billion allocated under the National Plan on Financing Safe Schools. This demand follows reports of school closures due to insecurity affecting approximately 40 local government areas in Nigeria.

Atiku stated that the government's failure to secure schools amid rising attacks from terrorists and bandits exacerbates the country's severe out-of-school crisis. He emphasized that the effectiveness of the Safe Schools programme should be measured by the actual safety of children and teachers attending school.

Atiku called for transparency regarding the funds, including details on mobilization, agencies involved, and security measures implemented. He criticized the current centralized approach to school security and proposed a decentralized, intelligence-led security system integrated with local communities.

He argued that merely budgeting funds does not equate to ensuring safety for students and educators.