Hussaini Ibrahim 
KANO, Nigeria – Northern Nigeria is facing a deepening education crisis as a fresh wave of school closures sweeps across the region, tightening the hold of insecurity on young girls and placing their futures on increasingly fragile ground. Across at least eight states — from Kebbi, Katsina to Niger — dozens of schools have been fully or partially shut after repeated attacks by armed groups.For many families, especially those with daughters, fear has become a constant companion, forcing them to keep their children at home as safety grows ever more uncertain.
In this report, Hussaini Ibrahim examines the implications of the school closures in the region and the uncertain future of girls’ education.
Longstanding Barriers to Girls’ Education
For years, girls’ schooling in Northern Nigeria has stood at a difficult crossroads. Early marriage, cultural expectations, entrenched gender roles, poverty, and long-standing disparities in access to learning have repeatedly slowed progress.
Even before the surge in school attacks, many girls were already battling barriers that kept them out of class or pushed them into adulthood too early. The current wave of insecurity has only deepened these fractures, turning an existing crisis into a national emergency.
Wave of Abductions Deepens Fear
The situation escalated sharply in November 2025 with two major school kidnappings that shook the country.
In Kebbi State, 25 schoolgirls were abducted from Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, though one escaped the same day and the remaining 24 were later freed.
Days later, Niger State witnessed a much larger raid at St Mary’s School in Papiri, where 303 students and 12 teachers were abducted. About 50 of the students escaped in the days that followed, but hundreds remained unaccounted for as rescue efforts continued.
These two incidents alone pushed the number of student-related abductions in 2025 to at least 328, underscoring the scale of the threat and prompting widespread school closures across the North.
Rising Out-of-School Numbers
Nigeria already has an estimated 10.2 million out-of-school primary-age children, the highest in the world, and girls make up the majority. The recent shutdowns threaten to widen an already troubling gap.
In several villages, girls who once clutched schoolbags now spend their days indoors or assisting with household chores, their educational hopes quietly fading.
Education experts fear that the longer the closures persist, the harder it will be to bring girls back to the classroom — a setback that could entrench inequality for years to come.
Insecurity Deepens Trauma, Weakens Learning Foundations — Dr. Idris
In an exclusive interview with AHR, Dr. Ayuba Idris of the Federal University Dutsinma, Katsina State, warned that the crisis is inflicting heavy psychological and academic consequences on children and communities.
He explained that insecurity and the abduction of schoolchildren have triggered trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and persistent fear among students.
According to him, “psychologically, these issues lead to trauma, PTSD, anxiety and fear, while academically, the fear results in reluctance to attend school, high dropout rates and diminished interest in learning.”
He stressed that learning is severely hindered because students must be emotionally stable and mentally ready — conditions eroded by continuous attacks.
Many parents in Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara are now withdrawing their children out of fear, a decision he believes could undo years of enrollment efforts.
He noted that this trend will likely weaken long-term learning outcomes, disrupt attendance, damage academic performance and fuel truancy, while also affect the psychological aspects of learning for both children and parents.
“The current insecurity is instilling fear and uncertainty in parents, and this trend will cause significant damage to the long-term enrollment efforts made by communities, governments and parents,” he said.
He added that the future of girl-child education is particularly threatened because many parents in the core North do not prioritise it, despite global development goals and UNICEF’s emphasis on educating girls.
Discussing how schools can maintain learning despite closures, Dr. Idris recalled the radio-based teaching method adopted in Kaduna during the COVID-19 lockdown, where structured lessons supported students preparing for exams.
He said teachers can continue their work if the government provides similar platforms, noting that alternative classroom settings must be created when physical structures are unsafe.
He also emphasised the need for trauma-informed teacher training that enables educators to support frightened students, calm their fears and encourage their return to the classroom.
“Teachers should be equipped and trained in trauma-informed techniques to assist students and themselves in managing their psychological state,” he said.
Dr. Idris further highlighted longstanding structural issues weakening the education system, including inadequate numbers of qualified teachers, poor infrastructure, insufficient funding and low teacher salaries.
He described school security as “poorly managed,” noting that many schools rely on a single elderly guard, lack proper buildings, functional fences, watchmen or effective security personnel. This leaves students, teachers and facilities dangerously exposed.
To restore confidence in schooling, he outlined three urgent priorities for government: improving funding for educational infrastructure — including classrooms, hostels, bedding and laboratories; enhancing security by fencing schools, deploying trained personnel and strengthening surveillance; and deepening community engagement with religious leaders, elders, youth and female students to rebuild trust and ensure collective vigilance.
Girls Face Emotional Strain as Fear Rewrites Their Daily Lives — Sadiya Danyaro
Drawing from the wider psychological landscape, educational psychologist Sadiya Danyaro of Federal University Dutsinm, Katsina State, told AHR that prolonged fear of abduction or school attacks creates constant worry in the mind of a child, with adolescent girls particularly vulnerable because they are navigating sensitive stages of identity and confidence.
She explained that many girls experience long-term anxiety, sleeplessness, difficulty concentrating, and a tendency to become withdrawn or overly cautious.
According to her, this fear undermines their self-esteem, affects how they trust others, and disrupts the natural development of emotional stability.
She also warned that keeping girls at home for extended periods due to school closures exposes them to deeper psychological risks. Many, she said, begin to feel isolated from their peers and teachers, increasing anxiety and sadness. Some lose confidence in their ability to learn, withdraw socially, or lose motivation to return to school — outcomes that can make education feel distant or unattainable.
Danyaro noted that recurring insecurity reinforces harmful gender norms, as families often conclude that girls are safer at home while boys continue schooling.
This, she said, sends a message that girls’ education is less valuable, creating guilt, frustration, and a growing emotional burden. Many girls internalise the belief that their dreams are dangerous or unrealistic, leading to self-doubt and a sense of helplessness.
She advised parents and teachers to watch out for early signs of trauma, including sudden fearfulness, nightmares, sleep problems, withdrawal, irritability, poor concentration, loss of interest in learning, and physical complaints such as headaches without medical cause.
If insecurity persists, Danyaro emphasised the importance of community-based psychosocial support.
She recommended safe learning spaces, temporary centres, mentorship circles, peer-support groups, confidence-building exercises, radio-learning, and regular check-ins from teachers or volunteers.
Above all, she said, girls need to feel heard, valued and connected to environments that restore stability, whether at home or within the community.
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Otamere Gladness 
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