Amnesty International: Nigerian Government Must Prevent School Attacks and Protect the Children

Amnesty International has urged the Nigerian government to prevent assaults on schools to protect children's rights to life and education. This statement followed the Saturday school attack in Yobe state, in which 30 people were reportedly killed by the suspected Boko Haram.
"The protection of children's lives is paramount, and the Nigerian government has a duty to ensure that the country's educational sector is not further threatened by the killing and intimidation of students and teachers and the destruction of school buildings," stated Lucy Freeman, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for Africa.
She explained that assaults of this kind violate the fundamental right to life as well as threaten the right to education of the children in the areas where violence continues. Moreover, the destruction of school infrastructure dramatically reduces the availability of and access to education for them.
Ms Freeman also warned that the consequences of the attacks on the education institutions may be "far-reaching".
According to Amnesty International's information, dozens of children who fled to the bush after Saturday's attack remain unaccounted for.
Ms Freeman called the Nigerian government to scrutinize the attacks and "bring those responsible to justice in fair trials without recourse to the death penalty." The Nigerian government is obliged under the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child to which Nigeria is a state party to "take measures to encourage regular attendance at schools," she added.
Other internatioanl organization, namely UNICEF and EU have also condemned the attack on the school in Yobe state.
*****
In a pre-dawn attack on Government Secondary School in Mamudo, near Potiskum, 29 students and one teacher were killed and buildings set on fire. It is still unclear who organized and carried out the attack. Previously, the group Boko Haram has taken responsibility for several attacks on schools. Boko Haram translated as "Western education is forbidden". , Around 30 schools have been reportedly burnt, damaged or destroyed by suspected Boko Haram members in the neighbouring state of Borno alone since January 2013. The attacks have ranged from killing teachers in front of the students to damaging school buildings.