Northern Christian Youth Professionals Criticize Safe Schools Initiative Over Ineffectiveness Despite $20m Funding

The Northern Christian Youth Professionals (NCYP) has raised concerns over the Safe Schools Initiative (SSI), accusing it of having “weak visibility and poor impact” despite more than $20 million reportedly raised to secure schools across northern Nigeria.

In a statement signed by NCYP Chairman Isaac Abrak on Friday, the group expressed alarm over the recent spate of attacks on schools, including tragic killings and mass abductions of students, questioning the effectiveness of the SSI and its partnership with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The statement read in part, “$20m raised, schools still under attack. These heartbreaking incidents call into question the effectiveness and visibility of the Safe Schools Initiative and its partnership with the NSCDC.”

The NCYP recalled its 2024 recommendation that President Bola Tinubu recruit forest-side community members into the Forest Guard to protect schools following the abduction of over 200 students from Government Primary and Secondary School, Kuriga, Kaduna State. While the SSI later partnered with the NSCDC, the group argued that the recent attacks show that more robust measures are urgently needed.

The group demanded clarity on the role of the SSI–NSCDC partnership during the recent attacks, including the abduction of 26 schoolgirls in Maga, Kebbi State, and the kidnapping of 315 students and staff from St. Mary’s Primary and Secondary School in Niger State.

Call for Transparency:
NCYP also highlighted concerns about the management of funds donated to the initiative since its creation after the 2014 Chibok abduction. Publicly reported contributions include:

• Private sector/business leaders: $10m
• Federal Government of Nigeria: About $10m
• Additional FEC-approved support: $4.2m
• United States Government (USAID/Embassy): $2m
• Qatar Government: $2m

Despite exceeding $20 million in contributions, the group noted, “these funds have not translated into visible protection for schools.” They demanded that the SSI release a comprehensive report detailing activities, spending, implementing partners, emergency response plans, and impact assessments to reassure donors and strengthen interventions.

Call to Implement Forest Guard:
NCYP renewed its appeal to President Tinubu to implement the Forest Guard programme fully, emphasizing that community members are the most reliable protectors of their schools. “There is no substitute for the vigilance, courage, and determination of parents protecting their children,” the statement said.

The group also urged the United States to support Nigeria’s community-driven security efforts and stressed that donors, citizens, and affected communities deserved full transparency on the SSI’s operations to prevent further loss of schoolchildren to terrorist attacks.