CAN decries attacks on schools, warns Nigeria endangering future

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has warned that repeated attacks on schools and the abduction of children by armed groups are putting Nigeria’s future at risk.

 

In a statement marking Children’s Day, CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, said many Nigerian families were celebrating under fear, uncertainty and anxiety over the safety of their children.

 

“A country where parents fear sending their children to school and teachers are uncertain about returning safely from work cannot honestly claim to be protecting its future,” CAN said.

 

The association described recent school abductions, including the Oyo incident, as a painful reminder of the growing vulnerability of educational institutions.

 

It expressed concern over the continued captivity of abducted children and the trauma faced by their families.

 

“No child should ever have to experience terror, violence or uncertainty in a place meant for learning, protection and hope,” the statement added.

 

CAN also warned that teachers were increasingly exposed to danger, noting that many educators now share the same insecurity experienced by students.

 

“The image of frightened teachers standing helplessly beside terrified children in the hands of criminals should trouble the conscience of the nation and stir urgent action,” it said.

 

The association further cautioned that repeated attacks on schools were eroding public confidence in the government’s ability to protect lives and secure communities.

 

It also highlighted broader challenges affecting children, including poverty, hunger, trafficking, child labour and limited access to quality education and healthcare.

 

“For too many young Nigerians, childhood itself is gradually being replaced by hardship, fear and survival,” Archbishop Okoh said.

 

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu, in his Children’s Day message, assured Nigerians that security agencies have been directed to intensify rescue operations for abducted children and strengthen protection for schools.

 

Tinubu said the government would not abandon affected families and reaffirmed ongoing efforts to secure the safe return of victims.

 

“As a father and your President: you are not forgotten. You are not abandoned,” he said.

 

He ordered security agencies to sustain coordinated, intelligence-led rescue operations and directed improved protection for schools in high-risk areas.

 

The President also called for stronger collaboration between government institutions and local communities in safeguarding schools, stressing that early warning signs must not be ignored.

 

Tinubu added that the government remained committed to ensuring safe learning environments, better healthcare, nutrition and improved opportunities for Nigerian children.