The Federal Government has declared zero tolerance on terrorists attacks and kidnapping in schools across the country.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, on a visit to the NSCDC Commandant-General, Ahmed Audi, in Abuja, raised deliberation on review of school security framework.

The minister asserted that attacks and abductions in schools were unacceptable. He reaffirmed zero tolerance for assaults on educational institutions nationwide. He said that protecting pupils is a shared responsibility involving government, security agencies, and host communities.

Alausa declared that the era of reactive responses to school attacks was over. He said that the government would replace “knee-jerk measures” with a sustained and structured security presence, particularly, in vulnerable communities.

The minister, therefore, initiated a comprehensive plan to strengthen  the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, to counter terrorists attacks and kidnapping in schools.

As part of the renewed strategy, Alausa announced the establishment of a dedicated Safe Schools Department within the Federal Ministry of Education to coordinate national efforts, strengthen collaboration with security agencies, and ensure consistent implementation of safety measures.

NSCDC Commandant-General, Ahmed Audi, revealed that a nationwide vulnerability assessment showed that over 60,000 out of approximately 81,000 schools across the country are porous and lack basic security features, such as perimeter fencing or security personnel.

Despite the grim statistics, Audi said specialised Safe Schools Protection Squads — including female response units and community-based security structures — had helped to prevent more than 110 potential threats against schools nationwide.

He complained that inadequate funding remains a major obstacle, revealing that only a fraction of the required resources has been released.