ABUJA — School enrolment across Nigeria is facing a severe threat as rumours of impending bandit attacks spread panic among parents, forcing mass withdrawals of pupils from educational institutions.
In several northern states, unsubstantiated reports of planned abductions have triggered a wave of fear, with families keeping children home despite official assurances from security agencies. Education officials say the trend is reversing hard-won gains in school attendance, particularly in rural communities.
“Parents are scared. Even when there is no confirmed threat, the rumours alone are enough to empty classrooms,” a headteacher in Kaduna State told CDA News.
The development compounds Nigeria’s existing education crisis, where banditry has already displaced hundreds of thousands of students and destroyed numerous schools. The United Nations estimates that over 18 million children are out of school in Nigeria, with insecurity a leading driver.
Education stakeholders have urged the federal government to deploy additional security personnel to schools and launch public awareness campaigns to counter harmful misinformation. They warn that prolonged absenteeism could trigger a generational literacy crisis.
The Tinubu administration has pledged to secure learning environments, but communities say tangible action remains slow.
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