…Says attacks on schools threaten Nigeria’s future
…Urges global attention to worsening insecurity in Northern Nigeria
A former presidential candidate, Gbenga Hashim, has strongly condemned the abduction of schoolchildren from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, as well as coordinated attacks on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, describing the incidents as “a brutal assault on Nigeria’s future.”
The affected schools in the Ogbomosho axis of Oyo State include Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Esiele; and L.A Primary School, Esiele.
In a strongly worded statement, Hashim said the repeated targeting of schoolchildren and educational institutions represents a dangerous escalation in terror tactics and a direct attack on education, national stability, and the country’s collective future.
“Schools must never become theatres of fear,” he stated, warning that persistent attacks on learning institutions could deepen insecurity and undermine national development for generations.
Hashim expressed sympathy to the affected families and communities, while urging the Federal Government and security agencies to respond swiftly and decisively to secure the safe release of the abducted children.
According to him, the rescue of the pupils must be treated as a national emergency and handled with utmost urgency.
The former presidential candidate further argued that the incidents expose lingering weaknesses in Nigeria’s rural security architecture, where insurgent and criminal groups continue to exploit ungoverned spaces, poverty, and inadequate state presence.
Referencing the recent elimination of an ISIS commander through joint Nigerian and United States military operations, Hashim acknowledged the significance of such tactical victories but warned against relying solely on isolated military successes.
“This tragedy is a stark reminder that tactical victories alone cannot secure the nation,” he said.
Hashim called for the adoption of a broader national security strategy that combines sustained military operations with stronger intelligence coordination, improved border security, expansion of rural policing, and targeted socio-economic interventions.
He also appealed to the international community to pay greater attention to the worsening security crisis in Northern Nigeria, warning that the implications extend beyond the country into the wider West and Central African region.
According to him, the growing frequency of attacks on schools and communities demands renewed global urgency and collaboration.
Hashim criticised what he described as increasing international indifference to repeated abductions and attacks involving African children, warning that the world must not become desensitised to such tragedies.
“The world must not become desensitised,” he stressed.
He concluded by warning that Nigeria’s long-term stability and development remain at risk if schools continue to operate under threats of violence and fear.
“No nation can thrive when its children are hunted and its schools are under siege,” he said.
