The Lead Resource for Safe Schools Lagos, Dr Bisi Akin-Alabi, has called on the Federal Government to create a harmonised, legally binding national school safety policy to address the persistent kidnapping of schoolchildren across Nigeria.

She made the call during a special session of the Renewed Hope global virtual town hall conference, themed: ‘Safe schools, secure nation: Advancing the renewed hope agenda.’

Akin-Alabi said Nigeria’s current approach to protecting schools is largely “reactive,” rather than preventive.

According to her, under the existing framework, government response is triggered only after an attack has occurred. This, she noted, often involves the mobilisation of security assets following a breach, reliance on ad hoc emergency funding, and limited coordination at the local level, leaving schools exposed.

To change this, she proposed a new framework, which mandates every institution to adopt physical infrastructure designed to prevent intrusion.

Akin-Alabi listed mandatory 2.5-metre reinforced perimeter walls topped with concertina wire, fortified entry gates capable of stopping vehicle-borne attacks, and independent, solar-powered satellite panic alarms as non-negotiable minimum standards.

She said meeting these would require reliable power, hence, announced plans to leverage funding from the “connecting the unconnected network” to extend solar power and rural electrification to vulnerable schools.

This, she explained, would ensure that security systems such as alarms and surveillance remain functional even in communities without electricity.

Beyond physical infrastructure, Akin-Alabi stressed the need for an enforceable legal framework with strict accountability for compliance. She argued that any national policy must be backed by guaranteed, ring-fenced funding that is sent directly to schools to avoid bureaucratic delays.

She maintained that without dedicated financing and clear sanctions for non-compliance, guidelines would remain on paper, while schools would remain exposed.

The expert also advocated for what she termed an “integrated community intel” approach. Under this model, parents and teachers’ associations, local leaders, and rapid-response security sectors would be linked through technology.

She said integrating these tools would bypass damaged infrastructure and transform passive bystanders into active first responders, enabling tactical interception before abductors can escape.

According to her, the cumulative effect of these measures would be to remove the element of surprise that kidnappers rely on.

She explained that reinforced walls and gates would delay attacks, fortified entry points would deny vehicular entry, and real-time alarm systems linked to communities would shorten response time.

The goal, she said, is to create genuine safe havens where learning can take place without fear.

Outlining how the initiative would be sustained, Akin-Alabi said it must be built on continuous sensitisation, regular evaluation, and independent inspection.

She proposed equipping schoolchildren with body-mounted safeguarding monitors and providing continuous professional development for teachers, school administrators, and community stakeholders. This, she added, would ensure that everyone understands their role when a threat arises.

“For decades, our approach to protecting our children has been crippled by a fragmented, voluntary patchwork of regional guidelines. We must replace that vulnerability with a singular, legally binding mandate: the Unified National School Safety Code,” she stated.

Akin-Alabi urged all institutions to embed disaster readiness into daily routines.

She said: “Every school must operate on identical, standardised active-threat response protocols. Whether facing a security breach, fire, or climate-induced flood, staff and students must know their exact moves. Compliance must be mandatory, funding must be guaranteed, and accountability must be absolute.”