Civil Society Action Coalition for Education for All (CSACEFA) and Global Campaign for Education condemn the abduction of students in Nigeria. We are utterly concerned by the unprecedented abduction of school children in Nigeria and deeply condemn this practice and call for the immediate release of all children and youth victims of abduction in the country, including the more than 230 abducted during this month in Kebbi state.

CSACEFA and GCE stress that education is a universal human right and remind those responsible for those barbaric actions that the abduction of students and any attack against students, schools, and education personnel is against both International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law. We, therefore, remind the Federal and State government that their first constitutional responsibility is to protect the lives of citizens and properties.

CSACEFA and GCE highlight that even when students are released the same day of the abduction, this gross human rights violation has long-term impacts on children and youth’s right to education. It has dramatic effects on their integrity enjoyment of all their human rights. This practice profoundly impacts children and their family’s physical and psychological well-being. It can deter families and communities from sending their children to school, creating long-lasting impacts on their opportunities for the future.

We ask the Federal and State Governments of Nigeria to strengthen the security around schools and adopt all the necessary measures to make schools safe and secure for all children, youth, and adults. To ensure that everyone enjoys their right to education as clearly defined in the constitution of FRN 1999 as amended, the Universal Basic Education Act 2004, the Child Right Act 2006, and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act.

We also urge Nigerian authorities to develop a comprehensive framework to implement the Safe Schools Declaration for the benefit of every Nigerian child and take the necessary actions to protect Nigeria’s education communities from attacks.

Therefore, we recommend that the men and women of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and State Security Service be deployed to communities for intelligence gathering to forestall these ongoing and recurring events.

We strongly condemn using our students as a vendetta to settle political differences. We can not sit and watch our children being used for negotiations. CSACEFAband GCE is always ready to render policy advice and implementation support to forestall these unhealthy tensions on educational facilities and students.

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The Global Campaign for Education (GCE) is a civil society movement that aims to end exclusion in education. Education is a basic human right, and our mission is to make sure that governments act now to deliver the right of everyone to a free, quality, public education.