Alarming crisis: banditry and kidnappings devastating access to education in Northern Nigeria — students raise urgent warning

The Students Wing of the Northern Youth Frontiers (NYF) has expressed deep concern over the rising insecurity around tertiary institutions in Northern Nigeria, warning that ongoing bandit attacks and kidnappings are increasingly putting students’ lives at risk and disrupting access to education.

The concerns were contained in a communiqué issued after an emergency joint congress of student leaders, campus representatives, and youth stakeholders from the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, held in Abuja.

The statement was jointly signed by the NYF Students Wing National Coordinator, Ibrahim Bello, and Secretary-General, Hauwa Abdulaziz.

According to the group, many tertiary institutions and surrounding off-campus communities remain highly vulnerable to attacks, leaving students in constant fear while trying to pursue their studies.

They called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently strengthen security around campuses and improve protection for students across the region.

The students also urged the Federal Government to boost funding for the Safe Schools Initiative and ensure continuous security patrols around universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, student hostels, and major transport routes.

They warned that persistent insecurity is already disrupting academic activities, heightening anxiety among students and parents, and worsening the education crisis in Northern Nigeria.

The group further noted that the benefits of student loan schemes could be seriously undermined if safety around campuses is not urgently addressed.