Mirian Gom 
LAGOS, Nigeria – UNICEF has raised concerns over worsening insecurity, school kidnappings and overcrowded learning environments in Nigeria, warning that millions of children are being denied their rights to education, play and healthy development.
Speaking on Thursday at the 2026 International Day of Play celebration in Lagos, organised in partnership with the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB), UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office in Lagos, Celine Lafoucriere, said insecurity was increasingly reshaping childhood experiences across the country.
The event, themed “Protect Play, Protect Childhood,” highlighted the growing impact of school abductions and unsafe learning environments on children’s wellbeing.
Lafoucriere referenced recent kidnappings involving schoolchildren in Borno, Niger, Kebbi and Oyo states, noting that some victims remain in captivity.
She also identified overcrowded classrooms, inadequate learning materials and the lack of safe recreational spaces as major barriers to child development.
According to her, play is essential to cognitive growth, emotional wellbeing and learning outcomes, stressing that children cannot thrive in environments characterised by fear and insecurity.
“A child who is not safe cannot learn. A child who cannot play will not grow into who they are meant to be,” she said.
The UNICEF official urged governments, communities, schools, journalists and parents to work collectively to protect children and guarantee access to safe learning environments.
LASUBEB Chairman, Dr. Hakeem Shittu, said Lagos remains committed to inclusive education and child-friendly learning spaces, noting that children learn more effectively through play-based approaches.
UNICEF Education Specialist, Yetunde Oluwatosi, added that parental involvement, teacher capacity development, nutrition and child protection remain critical components of quality early childhood education.
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