Borno lawmaker, Rep. Balami, has expressed concern over the latest abduction of 42 school children and the recurring attacks on schools and communities, demanding urgent action
The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the release of 42 school children abducted from Mussa Ward in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, while calling for stronger measures to protect schools nationwide.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved on Tuesday Rep. Midala Balami.
Moving the motion, Balami expressed concern over the latest abduction and the recurring attacks on schools and communities, warning that the trend threatens both access to education and national security.
He stressed that safeguarding pupils, students, teachers and school communities remains a core responsibility of governments at all levels.
The lawmaker recalled previous mass abductions in Borno State, including the 2014 kidnapping of school girls from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, many of whom remain missing. He also cited attacks on communities in Ngoshe and along the Biu-Buratai Road corridor.
“The recurring attacks on schools and communities continue to threaten access to education, endanger lives, traumatise families, disrupt livelihoods and undermine public confidence in the capacity of government to guarantee security,” Rep. Balami said.
According to him, persistent insecurity has heightened fears among residents and contributed to declining school enrolment and attendance in vulnerable communities.
He argued that the latest incident highlights the need for urgent and coordinated measures to secure schools, restore public confidence and ensure the safe return of all abducted persons.
Balami also noted growing frustration among citizens over the government’s handling of insecurity, saying many affected communities are demanding tangible action rather than repeated assurances.
“Communities are increasingly losing confidence in government responses to insecurity and economic hardship and are demanding visible and concrete actions rather than repeated assurances,” he said.
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The motion comes amid continued attacks on schools in parts of Nigeria’s North-East and North-West, where armed groups have repeatedly targeted students, teachers and educational institutions. The abduction of 276 schoolgirls in Chibok in April 2014 remains one of the most high-profile cases and sparked international outrage.
Following deliberations, the House called on the Federal Government and relevant security agencies to take immediate steps to rescue the 42 abducted pupils and other victims still being held by kidnappers.
Lawmakers also urged the deployment of stronger security measures around schools in Borno and other high-risk areas through enhanced intelligence gathering, increased security presence and rapid-response mechanisms.
In addition, the House advocated the expansion of school protection initiatives, including early-warning systems, community-based security arrangements, security awareness programmes and improved surveillance infrastructure.
The lawmakers mandated the House Committees on National Security, Defence, Basic Education and Legislative Compliance to engage relevant security agencies and report back on efforts to secure the release of the abducted children and improve school security nationwide.
They further called on the Federal Government to develop and implement a comprehensive Safe Schools Security Framework aimed at protecting students, teachers and educational institutions from future attacks.
Emphasising the urgency of the situation, Balami said, “The safety of our children and the protection of education must remain a national priority. Our children deserve to learn in an environment free from fear, and our citizens deserve the assurance that government will act decisively to protect lives and property. The time for action is now.”
