Insecurity: Over 1,400 schools destroyed, 2,295 teachers killed in North-East

A recent report reveals that over 1,400 schools have been destroyed and 2,295 teachers killed in the North-East region of Nigeria due to years of insurgency and conflict. Deputy Governor Umar Usman Kadafur made this disclosure while attending a National Dialogue in Maiduguri, highlighting that approximately three million children urgently require emergency education support.

The Deputy Governor emphasized that the trauma caused by the conflict continues to affect children long after the guns have fallen silent, impacting their psychological wellbeing, education, and future prospects. He warned that untreated trauma could lead to bitterness, alienation, and vulnerability to recruitment by violent groups, urging a national mental health framework for conflict-affected children.

Child trauma was also described as a national security concern by the Director of Medical Intelligence, Dr Patience Omokri, who stated that children exposed to insurgency, terrorism, and communal violence have suffered significant losses and exploitation. UNICEF representative Francis Otuochi called on governments to integrate mental health and psychosocial support into child protection, healthcare, education, and social welfare systems, noting that 270,864 children in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe need such support.