The Safe Schools Initiative has recorded a sharp rise in school registrations, reflecting growing concerns over the safety of students amid an alarming increase in school kidnappings, particularly in rural areas.
The total number of registered schools has now reached 14,685, a significant increase of over 3,000 from the 11,550 schools recorded just a month ago.
The Commander of the National Safe Schools Response and Coordination Centre, Assistant Commandant General Emmanuel Ocheja, on Thursday, confirmed to The PUNCH the surge in registrations.
“As of today, 14,685 schools are officially registered under the Safe Schools Initiative, marking a notable increase from November, when just 11,550 schools were listed on the central monitoring platform.
“We are now experiencing a surge in the registration of schools,” he confirmed.
The Safe Schools Initiative, which was launched in 2014 following the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok, was designed to protect schools from such attacks. However, despite the programme’s establishment, many schools across the country remain vulnerable.
Last week, Ocheja announced that more security personnel would be deployed to schools in 2026 to bolster protection and counter potential threats.
The increase in school registrations comes after several high-profile kidnapping incidents that have shocked the nation. On November 17, 2025, armed men attacked Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, abducting 24 students and killing the vice-principal.
Four days later, on November 21, gunmen stormed St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, abducting hundreds of pupils and staff.
Church and local authorities later confirmed that 303 students and 12 teachers were seized, one of the worst mass kidnappings in recent times.
Although the Safe Schools Iniative has been allocated a financing plan of N144.8bn for the 2023–2026 period, only a small fraction of these funds have been released, leaving gaps in the security infrastructure needed to protect schools across the country.
Despite frequent attacks nationwide, 30 states have yet to implement the Federal Government Safe School Initiative.
Meanwhile, the Delta State Police Command has embarked on a proactive school protection initiative aimed at strengthening security in public and private educational institutions across the state.
As part of the initiative, the command has engaged heads of public and private schools in a strategic security meeting designed to frontally combat insecurity within school environments.
The meeting, convened on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, was led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, DCP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
Also in attendance were the Coordinator of the Safe School Initiative in Delta State, ACP George Efeizomor, and other key education stakeholders.
Held in Asaba on Thursday, the engagement drew 62 school heads and teachers and focused on reinforcing school safety in light of recent cases of student abductions recorded in parts of the country.
Key issues discussed included the fencing of school premises, installation of surveillance cameras, engagement of local vigilantes, and improved collaboration between schools and security agencies.
Emerging concerns such as parental interference and the misuse of mobile phones during school hours were also addressed.
Speaking at the meeting, ACP George Efeizomor assured participants of sustained police support and urged school heads to maintain direct communication with their respective Divisional Police Officers and Area Commanders.
Emergency control room numbers were also shared to facilitate prompt reporting and rapid response.
Reassuring stakeholders, the Commissioner of Police, through his representative, Adejobi, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property.
He noted that adequate deployments, intelligence-led patrols and rapid response mechanisms had been activated across the state, particularly around schools, throughout the ember months.
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