FG Expands Safe Schools Push to Border, Riverine Communities
The Federal Government is expanding its Safe Schools programme beyond individual campuses to cover the vulnerable communities, border regions and riverine areas surrounding them, according to the initiative's national coordinator. Halima Ibrahim made the disclosure Tuesday in Jos, Plateau State, while speaking at the 4th National Camp of Man O' War Nigeria at the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre on Shere Hills. She argued that school security cannot be achieved in isolation, since the safety of a campus depends heavily on the environment around it. The Safe Schools Plan was launched in 2022, Ibrahim said, with full implementation of the National Plan on Financing Safe Schools beginning in 2023. A key objective now is pushing the plan down to school, state and community levels through collaboration across multiple government agencies. Mapping of schools and communities is currently underway, starting with Plateau State's three senatorial zones. Ibrahim explained the exercise extends beyond school grounds to strengthen entire host communities, noting that threats often pass through or originate in these surrounding areas, some from external actors, which is why border communities are also being brought into the strategy. Riverine areas are a particular concern, she said, since children there sometimes face real danger simply travelling by waterway to reach school. The government plans to work with the Nigeria Immigration Service and other agencies to boost security in these exposed areas. She noted that involvement from security agencies and the Armed Forces signals the programme is now treated as a national security priority, not just an education issue. It is coordinated through the Office of the National Security Adviser, with funding included in the 2026 national budget. Speaking earlier, Man O' War Nigeria's National Commander, Adedamola Gbenga, said the organisation is building volunteer capacity to support safer schools nationwide. He described the camp's theme on community-based safety frameworks as timely, highlighting the Safe School Awareness and Preparedness Training as a central component. Gbenga urged coordinators to apply the training seriously once back at their commands, and reaffirmed the group's commitment to professionalism and partnership, thanking stakeholders who supported the camp.
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