FG Unveils 2026–2030 Plan to Boost Security for Schools in Border and Riverine Communities
The Federal Government has unveiled a comprehensive security blueprint aimed at strengthening protection for schools, particularly in border and riverine communities, as part of its Safe Schools Transition Plan for 2026–2030.
Under the newly approved strategy, the government will deepen collaboration among security agencies, state governments and local communities to create safer learning environments nationwide. Officials said the plan prioritises vulnerable regions where threats to students, teachers and schools remain high, and seeks to address longstanding insecurity challenges that have disrupted education in many areas.
A senior government official involved with the project explained that the initiative will expand security training and infrastructure to reach remote border and riverine locations, where schools have previously lacked adequate protection. “For the new transition plan 2026–2030, we will be looking at the border communities and the riverine areas to ensure that training gets there,” the source said, noting that the aim is to ensure “the security architecture is fully on board.”
The strategy also includes enhanced psychosocial support and emergency preparedness programmes for students and teachers. Government spokespeople said these components are critical in helping school communities cope with trauma and respond effectively to security threats.
The Safe Schools Project, initially launched in 2014 following mass abductions in northeastern Nigeria, has coordinated efforts with the Office of the National Security Adviser and other stakeholders to protect educational institutions. Despite previous interventions—including the deployment of School Protection Squads and the creation of a National Safe School Response Coordination Centre—attacks and kidnappings have continued in some regions, highlighting gaps the new plan seeks to close.
Security analysts say the focus on border and riverine communities reflects a growing concern about the vulnerability of schools in isolated areas, which are often exposed to banditry, insurgency and communal violence. By strengthening ties between formal security forces and host communities, the FG aims to foster resilience and better protect students’ right to education.
Implementation of the plan will be monitored through collaborative frameworks involving federal and state agencies, with periodic assessments to guide adjustments and ensure swift responses to emerging threats
