Nigeria ranked fourth globally in school attacks — UN

The United Nations has ranked Nigeria as the fourth worst-affected country in the world for attacks on schools, following a sharp rise in violence against education in conflict zones.

According to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, global attacks on schools surged by 44 per cent in the past year, with Nigeria recording 2,436 verified grave violations. Only Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (8,554), the Democratic Republic of Congo (4,043), and Somalia (2,568) reported higher figures. Haiti followed closely with 2,269 cases.

Guterres, in a message marking the International Day to Protect Education on September 9, warned that such violations carry “profound consequences, not only for teachers and young learners, but for the future of entire communities and countries.”

He stressed: “No child should risk death to learn.”

The UN’s 2024 Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict documented more than 41,000 incidents of violence against school-age children worldwide.

The findings highlight not only an upsurge in attacks on schools, but also a 34 percent rise in rape and other forms of sexual violence against children, and a 17 per cent increase in abductions, recruitment, and other violations — which the UN described as “an alarming escalation in brutality.”

In response, the UN and its partners supported 370,000 children and teachers between January and July 2025, mostly in frontline and host communities.

“With many schools unsafe or closed, over 420,000 children now attend classes fully online, while one million rely on hybrid learning.

Reiterating that schools must be protected as safe havens, the UN chief called for accountability for perpetrators of attacks.

“The pen, the book, and the classroom are all mightier than the sword.

“Let’s keep it that way and protect the fundamental right of every child to learn in safety and peace,” Guterres urged.