Former Anambra State governor and 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has expressed concern over the recent abduction of students in parts of Borno and Oyo states, warning that the growing attacks on schools pose a serious threat to education and the country’s future.

In a statement released on Saturday, Obi described the incidents in Mussa Village, Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, and Ahoro-Esinele community in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State as evidence of worsening insecurity across the country.

He said the inability to guarantee the safety of children in schools was deeply troubling, noting that repeated attacks on learning institutions were gradually turning students into victims of criminal activities driven by ransom demands.

Obi stated that the persistent targeting of schools goes beyond a security challenge, stressing that it undermines children’s right to education and discourages parents from sending their wards to school.

According to him, fear of abduction has continued to force many children, especially girls, out of classrooms, thereby worsening the already high number of out-of-school children in the country.

He also warned that communities repeatedly affected by attacks often witness a breakdown of their education system, as insecurity becomes a major barrier to school enrolment and learning.

The former presidential candidate called for urgent measures to improve the safety of schools, including stronger community intelligence gathering, better protection for educational facilities, and effective prosecution of offenders.

He maintained that safeguarding children and restoring confidence in the education sector require collective action from security agencies, communities and government authorities.

The remarks followed separate attacks in Borno and Oyo states, where armed men reportedly invaded schools, abducted students, and killed a teacher during the assaults.

In Borno State, suspected insurgents were said to have stormed a school in Mussa Village, Askira/Uba LGA, during school hours and whisked away several students, while others escaped into nearby bushes.

Similarly, gunmen attacked schools in the Ahoro-Esinele community of Oriire LGA in Oyo State, killing a teacher and abducting a school principal along with an unspecified number of students before fleeing into a forest area.