President Bola Tinubu has assured families of abducted schoolchildren in Oyo and Borno states that the Federal Government will sustain efforts to secure the release of the victims and strengthen security around schools across the country.
The position was contained in a Children’s Day message issued on Wednesday through the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, as Nigeria joined the global celebration of children amid the celebration of Eid-el-Kabir.
Tinubu said the occasion was a moment to honour Nigerian children from different backgrounds, including those pursuing education, learning trades, living with disabilities and others facing difficult conditions but remaining hopeful about the future.
Describing children as central to the nation’s future, the President said, “Today belongs to you. It is a day to celebrate your innocence, your strength, your creativity, your aspirations, and the immeasurable value you bring to our nation.”
He noted that this year’s theme, “Future Now: Promoting Inclusion for Every Nigerian Child,” highlighted the need to give every child equal opportunity to thrive.
The President expressed sadness that some pupils and teachers abducted in Oyo and Borno states were spending the celebration period in captivity instead of with their families.
“As we mark this special day, which coincides with Eid-el-Kabir, some Nigerian children and their teachers in Oyo and Borno should be with their families, but are being held captive by criminals,” he said.
Tinubu assured the affected families that the government had not abandoned them.
“To those children, their parents, and their teachers, I say this as a father and your President: you are not forgotten. You are not abandoned,” the President stated.
He disclosed that security agencies had been directed to intensify coordinated rescue operations across the country, stressing that the missions must be intelligence-driven and carefully executed to ensure the safe recovery of abducted victims.
The President also announced plans to reinforce protection around schools in vulnerable communities through updated security mapping, closer cooperation between state governments and security agencies, emergency response systems and community-based early warning networks.
Tinubu said the Federal Ministry of Education, working with state governments, had been instructed to deepen the implementation of the Safe Schools framework.
“Every school in a vulnerable area must know who to call, what to do, where to move, and how to protect children when danger is identified,” he said.
The President added that children rescued from abduction, violence and displacement would receive proper medical care, counselling, education and reintegration support.
He called on parents, traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth groups, transport unions, local vigilantes and the media to support efforts aimed at protecting children and reporting suspicious movements around schools and communities.
“When information is shared quickly and responsibly, lives can be saved,” Tinubu said.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to child welfare, the President said the government would continue investing in education, healthcare, nutrition, social protection and safer communities to guarantee a better future for Nigerian children.