The Lead Resource for Safe Schools Lagos, Dr. Bisi Akin-Alabi, has urged the Federal Government to urgently adopt a harmonised and legally enforceable national school safety policy to address the rising cases of schoolchildren abductions across the country.
She made the call during a special session of the Renewed Hope global virtual town hall conference themed “Safe Schools, Secure Nation: Advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
Dr. Akin-Alabi criticised Nigeria’s current school protection strategy, describing it as largely reactive rather than preventive. According to her, security responses are often activated only after attacks occur, resulting in delayed interventions, reliance on emergency deployments, and weak coordination at the grassroots level.
She warned that this approach continues to leave schools vulnerable to repeated attacks by armed groups and kidnappers.
To address the challenge, she proposed a comprehensive national framework that would make it mandatory for all schools to adopt minimum security infrastructure standards designed to deter and withstand attacks.
These, she said, should include reinforced perimeter fencing of at least 2.5 metres topped with concertina wire, fortified access gates capable of resisting forced entry or vehicle-borne attacks, and solar-powered satellite panic alarm systems installed in every institution.
Dr. Akin-Alabi noted that implementing such measures would require stable energy supply, adding that she plans to leverage funding through the “Connecting the Unconnected Network” initiative to expand solar electrification and rural power access to vulnerable school communities.
She explained that reliable electricity would ensure continuous operation of security systems such as surveillance tools and emergency alarm mechanisms, even in remote and underserved areas.
Beyond infrastructure, she called for a strong legal and financial framework to back the proposed policy, insisting that compliance must be enforced through clear legislation and supported by dedicated, ring-fenced funding disbursed directly to schools.
According to her, without guaranteed financing and strict enforcement mechanisms, national guidelines would remain ineffective, leaving schools exposed to avoidable risks.
Dr. Akin-Alabi also advocated for an “integrated community intelligence system” that links parents, teachers’ associations, traditional leaders, and security agencies through technology-enabled platforms to improve real-time threat detection and response.
She said such a system would empower communities to act as first responders, enabling quicker interception of attackers and reducing the chances of successful abductions.
“The objective is to remove the element of surprise that kidnappers rely on. Reinforced structures delay intrusion, secure entry points deny access, and real-time alerts connected to communities drastically reduce response time,” she explained.
She further stressed the need for continuous sensitisation, regular safety audits, and independent inspections to sustain the proposed reforms.
Dr. Akin-Alabi recommended the introduction of body-mounted safety monitoring devices for schoolchildren, alongside continuous training programmes for teachers, administrators, and community stakeholders on emergency response protocols.
She warned that Nigeria’s fragmented approach to school safety, characterised by non-binding regional guidelines, must be replaced with a unified legal framework.
“For decades, our approach to protecting children has been weakened by fragmented and voluntary guidelines. We must replace that with a single, legally binding mandate: the Unified National School Safety Code,” she stated.
She further emphasised that schools must operate standardised emergency response procedures covering security breaches, fire outbreaks, and climate-related disasters.
“Every school must follow identical, well-defined response protocols. Compliance must be mandatory, funding guaranteed, and accountability absolute,” she added.
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