…Zamfara leading with 276.
by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
As the security situation escalates almost in all facets of life in Nigeria, reports indicate that about 723 schools have been closed down in nine states across the country, according to United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, Safe School Data (September 2023) reports.
Other factors responsible for the mass closures are resettling of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, including incidents of flood leading to obstruction of teaching and learning in the affected schools.
UNICEF reports show that the States affected include Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Imo, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara.
In Zamfara State, 276 schools were recorded, while 26 schools were closed in Adamawa State; Benue had 28 of its schools closed, Borno 72 schools, Imo 62 schools, Katsina 61 schools, Kebbi 68 schools, Sokoto 115 schools and Yobe records 15 schools.
The data further indicated that State actors occupied seven schools in Adamawa State; 11 were occupied in Benue, 36 in Borno, one in Imo, seven in Katsina, one in Yobe and 22 in Zamfara State.
Meanwhile, non-state actors were reported to have taken over two schools in Borno State, 45 in Imo and 134 Zamfara States.
It further indicated that, nine schools were closed down due to incidents of flood in Adamawa State, 19 in Borno, 16 in Imo, 54 in Katsina, 24 in Kebbi, 109 in Sokoto, 14 in Yobe and 58 in Zamfara State.
Also, six States of Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara had 154 of their schools occupied by Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs.
The data also shows the number of IDPs occupying schools in Adamawa stood at 10, Benue 17, Borno 15, Kebbi 44, Sokoto six, and Zamfara 62.
Speaking on the importance of education to the child, Communications Officer of UNICEF, for Enugu Field Office, Dr Ijeoma Onuoha-Ogwe, said “Education is a right of every child; it should not just happen to a child in Nigeria as a chance but a right.”