- PDP alleges Federal Government is “buckling to terrorists” after mass school closure
- Party warns shutting schools will worsen insecurity and push more children out of classrooms
- Opposition criticises Tinubu’s “weak response” to Kebbi and Niger abductions
- PDP urges full funding of national safety policy to protect schools
The PDP has accused President Tinubu of yielding ground to terrorists following the closure of schools across parts of Northern Nigeria, saying the move signals a government overwhelmed by the surge in mass abductions.
The Kabiru Turaki faction of the Peoples Democratic Party said the latest wave of kidnappings: 25 students in Kebbi and 315 students and staff in Niger reflects the deepening insecurity confronting communities across the North. During a media briefing by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the party said each fresh attack adds to the fears and trauma felt by families who no longer feel protected by the state.
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According to the PDP, the Tinubu administration has failed to offer clear direction or decisive action, leaving state governments to act independently without strong leadership from the centre. The party criticised the growing move to shut down schools in vulnerable areas, warning that the closures mirror exactly what terrorists want: to frighten children out of classrooms and slowly cripple education in the North.
The opposition noted that Northern Nigeria already carries the heaviest burden of out-of-school children in the country, citing UNICEF figures that place the number at 18.3 million—10.2 million at the primary level and 8.1 million at secondary level. It said shutting schools will push even more children into lifelong disadvantage and fuel cycles of poverty and instability.
The PDP also faulted what it described as President Tinubu’s “unresponsive and distant” handling of the recent kidnappings. Instead of visiting communities in Kebbi and Niger to console families and assess security needs, the party said, he merely instructed the Minister of State for Defence to relocate to Kebbi. It added that the contrast between large delegations sent to international meetings and the single official sent to address a national emergency showed how lightly the presidency treats the crisis.
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The party urged the Federal Government to immediately activate and fund the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools, stressing that real protection depends on timely intelligence, strong community networks, and rapid-response security teams. Anything less, it said, amounts to leaving schoolchildren exposed.
Reiterating that safeguarding lives and property is the first duty of any government, the PDP said an administration unable to meet this responsibility must seek help or step aside. It warned that continued deterioration in school security will deepen public distrust and escalate the social consequences already unfolding in affected states.
