More than 5,000 schools destroyed by insurgency – Zulum

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State revealed that more than 5,000 school structures were destroyed during the Boko Haram crisis, leaving 2.2 million children out-of-school. These figures were disclosed when Governor Abdullahi A Sule of Nasarawa State commissioned various projects in Maiduguri. The projects included the Post Office 9-Span Flyover, Larawaram Community Senior Secondary School, Shehu Sanda Kyarimi I Primary and Junior Secondary School, and a 2.5-kilometre dualised road with an additional five kilometres of drainage.

Zulum noted that the loss extended beyond infrastructure, as many teachers and administrators perished.

Zulum emphasized that rebuilding schools is about restoring access to education, confidence in communities, and providing children with opportunities for a better future. He disclosed that the state government invested over N46 billion (N46,987,069,675.33) in basic and secondary education between 2025 and 2026 fiscal years. This funding is part of a broader educational overhaul that includes 136 completed projects awaiting commissioning.

Zulum stated that these massive investments are already showing results, with the number of usable classrooms growing to 5,792 and functional WASH facilities rising to 4,563. At the senior secondary level, functional schools have surged from 34 in 2019 to 129 by 2026. This expanded access has led to a significant increase in student enrollment, from 766,551 in 2019 to 1,801,295 in 2026—an increase of over one million learners in seven years.

Zulum highlighted these indicators to showcase the scale of efforts to enhance educational access, restore infrastructure, and improve the learning environment for children.