Atiku Abubakar demands accountability for Nigeria's ₦144.86bn Safe Schools fund

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on the Nigerian Federal Government to account for the ₦144.86 billion allocated to the National Plan on Financing Safe Schools for 2023–2026. This demand follows reports that insecurity has forced the closure of schools in approximately 40 local government areas.

Atiku argued that the current approach is failing, noting that budgeting money is not equivalent to securing schools. He stated that the true test of the programme is whether children and teachers can attend classes without fear of attack. He has challenged the administration to publish a full account of the funds, including amounts released, agencies and contractors involved, security infrastructure delivered, and measurable outcomes.

To address the crisis, Atiku proposed a shift toward a decentralized, intelligence-led security architecture integrated with local communities, rather than treating school security as a standard contract-awarding programme.