NAF, UBEC Partner to Improve Security in Schools

As part of the federal government’s efforts to prevent terrorists from infiltrating schools, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) have formed a partnership to prevent insurgent invasions of schools.

The partnership was reached during a courtesy visit to UBEC by the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, on Monday.

According to a statement by the NAF’s spokesperson, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Air Marshal Aneke emphasised strengthening national education security through a strategic partnership with educational institutions, like UBEC.

Air Marshal Aneke noted that collaboration between security agencies and education stakeholders has become critical due to evolving threats targeting learning environments.

Media reports that recently, 303 schoolchildren and 12 teachers were abducted by bandits from a Catholic boarding school in Niger State, and 24 girls from the Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School (GGCSS) in Maga, Kebbi State.

The NAF Chief welcomed deeper cooperation under UBEC’s Safe School Programme to bolster monitoring, accountability, and protection of basic education institutions nationwide, particularly those in conflict-prone areas.

He also highlighted NAF’s role in promoting secure, inclusive, and technology-driven schooling across its 33 educational institutions nationwide, 20 primary and 13 secondary, serving both military and civilian populations.

“Our responsibility extends beyond protecting communities to nurturing the future of the Nigerian child,” he said.

Air Marshal Aneke said the NAF was already implementing measures to enhance teacher development, digital literacy, and facility upgrades across its schools.

He outlined other priority areas for partnership to include intervention for upgrading NAF schools to accommodate more students, collaborative teacher training programmes, integration into UBEC’s digital education platforms, and joint quality assurance mechanisms.

The CAS emphasized that stronger collaboration with UBEC would expand the reach and impact of these efforts, particularly in deploying modern safe-school technologies and learning systems.

The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Aisha Garba, expressed the Commission’s readiness to strengthen strategic collaboration with the NAF and commended it for its contributions to national development beyond its defence mandate.

She said, “No education system can thrive without safety, and no security framework is complete without education.”

She welcomed the proposed areas of cooperation and affirmed UBEC’s commitment to sustained technical engagement that enhances school safety, improves learning delivery, and builds resilience across Nigeria’s basic education sector.