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By Gabriel Dike
The school system in the country is under security threat. This has led to the disruption of the education system even at the tertiary institutions with pupils, students, teachers, principals and staff killed and abducted in the process.
Daily Sun spoke to a security expert, Addey Julia Buduka, Chief Executive Officer, EPSS Private Security Services.
Excerpts:
What is school security all about?
My work has taught me that security is not simply about responding to threats. Security is about creating the conditions that allow people to learn, work, invest, raise families and pursue their dreams without fear.
That is why conversations about school security are important to me. Every child sitting in a classroom today represents Nigeria’s future workforce, innovators, entrepreneurs, teachers, and leaders. Protecting schools is therefore not only an educational responsibility but a national security and economic imperative.
Are schools safe for teaching and learning?
The honest answer is that many schools are not as safe as they should be. Safety is not merely the absence of an attack. A school is safe when children can learn without fear, teachers can teach with confidence, and parents can trust that their children will return home safely.
Unfortunately, recent events have shown that many schools remain vulnerable to kidnapping, criminal attacks, poor infrastructure, inadequate emergency preparedness, and weak security arrangements. School safety must be viewed holistically. It includes physical security, emotional well being, psychological safety, access to education, and a supportive learning environment.
How did we get to this point of insecurity in schools?
The problem did not develop overnight. We are witnessing the cumulative effect of years of social, economic, educational, and security challenges. One of the lessons from human development is that people function best when their basic needs are met. When communities struggle with poverty, unemployment, poor infrastructure, weak educational systems, and limited opportunities, social pressures begin to build. However, we must also acknowledge another reality.
Criminal elements have increasingly exploited these vulnerabilities and transformed insecurity into a business model. Kidnapping, extortion, and other criminal activities are now organized enterprises in some areas. Therefore, school insecurity is both a development challenge and a criminal enterprise challenge. We must address both.
What are the resultant effects of this worsening situation on pupils and teachers?
The impact is profound. A child who constantly fears abduction or violence cannot focus fully on learning. Teachers who feel unsafe cannot perform at their best. Parents become anxious. Communities lose confidence.
The psychological consequences include fear, anxiety, trauma, depression, reduced concentration, and declining academic performance. Beyond the classroom, the long-term economic consequences are significant. Education develops human capital. When education is disrupted, the nation ultimately suffers from reduced productivity, innovation, and competitiveness. The classroom is where future economic resilience begins.
From one abduction to another, are security agencies ready to handle the rising insecurity in schools?
Our security agencies continue to demonstrate courage and commitment under difficult circumstances. However, school security cannot depend solely on reaction after an incident occurs. The question should not only be whether security agencies can respond. The question should be whether we have done enough to prevent attacks in the first place.
School security requires intelligence gathering, community engagement, technology, emergency planning, risk assessments, access control, rapid response capabilities, and coordination between government agencies, school authorities, communities, and licensed private security providers. Success should be measured by prevention rather than response.
Do you support the call for government to declare a state of emergency in schools?
I support a National School Safety Emergency Action Plan. Whether it is called a state of emergency or another name is less important than the actions that follow. Government must treat school security as a national priority.
This should include security audits, risk categorisation of schools, dedicated funding, emergency communication systems, teacher safety programs, mental health support, and improved coordination among relevant stakeholders. Declarations alone do not solve problems. Implementation does.
NUT is threatening to shut schools over abduction of its members and pupils. Will this solve the problem?
A shutdown may draw attention to the issue, but it is not a long-term solution. That said, we must understand the concerns of teachers. Teachers are educators, not security personnel. If teachers genuinely fear for their lives, government must take those concerns seriously.
The objective should be to create conditions where schools remain open and safe rather than forcing educators to choose between their profession and their safety. Dialogue, collaboration, and practical safety measures will produce better outcomes than prolonged closures.
Is the government doing enough to address the worsening insecurity in schools?
Government has made efforts, and those efforts should be acknowledged. However, the persistence of attacks suggests that more needs to be done. Citizens evaluate security not by announcements but by outcomes. Government must continue strengthening intelligence capabilities, improving response times, supporting schools, investing in education, and ensuring that criminal actors are held accountable. The ultimate measure of success is whether children can attend school safely.
If you were the Minister of Education, how would you tackle this situation?
My first action would be a nationwide Safe School Assessment. Every school would be categorised according to risk level. Second, I would establish minimum national school safety standards covering physical security, emergency planning, visitor management, communication systems, evacuation procedures, and teacher preparedness.
Third, I would create stronger collaboration between education authorities, security agencies, community leaders, parents, and licensed private security providers. Fourth, I would invest in psychological support services because trauma affects learning.
Finally, I would address the broader ecosystem around schools. Safe schools cannot exist in unsafe communities. School security must be integrated into community development, youth empowerment, family support systems, and economic opportunity programs.
How soon can normalcy return to schools?
Normalcy can begin to return the moment citizens see credible action and consistent results. However, true normalcy is not simply reopening schools. True normalcy means children learning without fear, teachers teaching with confidence, parents trusting the system, and communities believing in the future.
It requires patience, commitment, and sustained effort. But it is achievable. I remain optimistic because Nigerians are resilient people. At the same time, we must be clear about one important principle. While social and economic challenges may create vulnerability, criminality remains a choice. Millions of Nigerians face hardship without resorting to crime.
Those who profit from violence, kidnapping, and fear must be identified, prosecuted, and brought to justice. No criminal group should ever become bigger than the state. Government has a constitutional responsibility to protect lives, secure communities, and uphold the rule of law.
The solution therefore lies in combining opportunity with accountability, development with enforcement, and prevention with justice. When we protect our schools, we protect our children. When we protect our children, we protect Nigeria’s future.
What is your growing up look like?
I remember him advocating for Ihuechi Primary School and several other schools across Ahoada West. The schools lacked teachers, learning materials, and the basic infrastructure required for effective education. At one point, government responded by providing desks, but my father continued writing because he understood that education was about much more than furniture. He was fighting for opportunity.
As a child, I spent a few months attending Ihuechi Primary School to learn my language and culture. I experienced some of those realities firsthand. Nineteen years after my father’s passing, I returned to the school and discovered that many of the challenges had not disappeared. In some respects, conditions had become worse. That experience stayed with me.
Who is Addey Julia Buduka?
I am Addey Julia Buduka from Ihuechi Community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State. I am the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of EPSS Private Security Services Limited, a security practitioner, reform advocate, and policy contributor with over seventeen years of experience in the security sector.
