New Telegraph

UNICEF to FG: Ensure schools are safe for children

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has appealed to the Federal Government to help rescue the remaining school children still trapped in the capacity of the kidnappers and bandits in the Northeast geo-political zone.

The UNICEF Representative in Nigeria Peter Hawkins, lamented that over 200 out of 1000, school children kidnapped by bandits are still in captivity for almost a year after they were abducted from their schools.

Hawkins, in a an email to reporters at the weekend, said UNICEF was relieved that 91 students of Salihu Tanko Islamiya School Tegina, in Niger State, abducted three months ago, have been freed from captivity while it condemned the death of one child who died while held by his abductors.

UNICEF in the statement, however, called on authorities to take all necessary measures to ensure schools are safe for all children.
The organisation said it would work with partners to provide mental health, psychosocial support and counselling services to both the freed learners and their parents.
Hawkins said: “Children, who went in search of knowledge, were abducted at their school – which is supposed to be a safe place for them – while exercising their fundamental right to an education.

“They spent 88 days in the hands of their abductors before being freed yesterday.

“It is a tragedy and utterly unacceptable that one of these children died in captivity.”

Hayatu Hashimu was just six years old at the time of his death.

He said Nigeria is set to host the Fourth International Conference on the Safe Schools Declaration from October 25-27, 2021. The theme of the Conference is, according to him,  “Ensuring Safe Education for All: From Commitment to Practice”.

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