FG Expands Safe Schools Initiative to Vulnerable Areas

The Federal Government of Nigeria is expanding its Safe Schools initiative beyond school premises to include vulnerable host communities, borderland, and riverine areas, aiming to strengthen security and resilience around learning centers. Halima Ibrahim, the National Coordinator of the Safe School Initiative Nigeria, made this announcement in Jos, Plateau State, during the 4th National Camp of Man O’ War Nigeria.

The initiative, launched in 2022, aims to address school security holistically by securing the wider environment surrounding schools. The full implementation of the National Plan on Financing Safe Schools began in 2023.

Ibrahim stated that the strategy involves mapping schools and communities, focusing initially on the three senatorial zones in Plateau State. The government is also identifying and supporting vulnerable borderland and riverine communities, as children in these areas face risks traveling through waterways for education.

The initiative is coordinated through relevant government structures, including the Office of the National Security Adviser, and involves collaboration with security agencies.