The Northern Christian Youth Professionals (NCYP) has raised serious concerns about the effectiveness and transparency of the Safe Schools Initiative (SSI), a programme established to protect students following the 2014 Chibok schoolgirl abduction.
In a statement signed by NCYP Chairman Isaac Abrak, on Saturday, the group highlighted that despite more than $20 million in donations, schools in northern Nigeria continue to face deadly attacks.
Recent incidents cited include the abduction of 26 schoolgirls in Maga, Kebbi State, and the large-scale kidnapping of 315 students and staff from St. Mary’s School in Niger State.
These events have reignited doubts over the initiative’s impact and visibility on the ground.
The NCYP expressed particular concern about the partnership between the SSI and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), questioning the measures taken to prevent or respond to these attacks.
“What role did the Safe Schools Initiative–NSCDC partnership play in protecting the schools that were attacked?” the statement asked, highlighting the urgency for accountability.
The group also demanded a full disclosure of how funds raised for the initiative have been spent, listing contributions from private business leaders, the federal government, the United States, and Qatar, which collectively exceed $20 million.
NCYP stressed that donors, parents, and affected communities have the right to understand how these resources are being utilized to secure schools.
In addition to transparency concerns, the NCYP renewed its call for the implementation of the Forest Guard programme, which aimed to recruit and empower local community members to safeguard schools.
The association emphasised that local vigilance, parental involvement, and community-driven security are essential for effective protection, warning against relying solely on bureaucratic structures that may be disconnected from the communities they serve.
The statement urged both the Nigerian government and international partners, particularly the United States, to support grassroots security measures to prevent further abductions.
“Nigeria cannot continue to lose its children to terrorist attacks. Transparency, accountability, and active community participation are key to protecting students, especially girls, in northern Nigeria,” the NCYP said.
