You are not forgotten, abandoned, Tinubu tells parents, kidnapped schoolchildren, teachers

•Tasks Nigerians on proactive measures

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has assured the parents, abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo and Borno states that they have not been forgotten or abandoned, pledging that his administration will intensify efforts to secure their safe return from captivity.

The president gave the assurance in a personally signed statement dated May 27, 2026, to commemorate Children’s Day, amid growing concern over recent attacks on schools in parts of the country.

He said: “As we mark this special day, which coincides with Eid-el-Kabir, some Nigerian children and their teachers in Oyo and Borno should be with their families, but are being held captive by criminals.

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“Some children have been forced into fear. Some parents cannot join today’s celebration because their hearts are set on one prayer: ‘Bring our children home!’

“To those children, their parents, and their teachers, I say this as a father and your president: you are not forgotten. You are not abandoned.

“To the families grieving and despondent, your government will not turn your pain into ceremony.

“We will continue to work until children taken from their homes, schools, and communities are returned safely, and until those who profit from this cruelty are brought to justice!”

He said he had “directed all relevant security agencies to sustain and intensify coordinated rescue operations for abducted children and other vulnerable citizens across the country.

“These operations must be intelligence-led, carefully executed and focused on the safe recovery of our children.”

The statement read in part: “On this Children’s Day, I celebrate every Nigerian child. I celebrate the child who is excelling in school. I celebrate the child who is learning a trade.

“I celebrate the child living with disability and still pressing forward with courage. I celebrate the child who has lost much but has not lost hope.

“Today belongs to you. It is a day to celebrate your innocence, your strength, your creativity, your aspirations, and the immeasurable value you bring to our nation. You are the pride of our Republic, the custodians of tomorrow’s promise, and the living reminder that we can shape the future of Nigeria by the opportunities we create for our children today.

“The theme for this year’s celebration, ‘Future Now: Promoting Inclusion for Every Nigerian Child’, speaks powerfully to the soul of our national conscience. It reminds us that the future is not a distant promise; it is already here.

“As we mark this special day, which coincides with Eid-el-Kabir, some Nigerian children and their teachers in Oyo and Borno should be with their families, but are being held captive by criminals. Some children have been forced into fear. Some parents cannot join today’s celebration because their hearts are set on one prayer: ‘Bring our children home!’

“To those children, their parents, and their teachers, I say this as a father and your President: you are not forgotten. You are not abandoned.

“To the families grieving and despondent, your government will not turn your pain into ceremony.

“We will continue to work until children taken from their homes, schools and communities are returned safely, and until those who profit from this cruelty are brought to justice.

“I have directed all relevant security agencies to sustain and intensify coordinated rescue operations for abducted children and other vulnerable citizens across the country. These operations must be intelligence-led, carefully executed and focused on the safe recovery of our children.

“I have also directed the strengthening of school protection measures in high-risk areas. This will include updated school vulnerability mapping, closer coordination between state governments and security commands, rapid response links between schools and local security units, and stronger community-based early warning systems.

“The Federal Ministry of Education, working with state governments, is to deepen the implementation of the Safe Schools framework with clear reporting, clear responsibility and clear timelines. Every school in a vulnerable area must know who to call, what to do, where to move, and how to protect children when danger is identified.”

Tinubu said his administration would also improve support for children who have survived abduction, violence and displacement.

“A child who returns from trauma must return to care, medical attention, counselling, education and dignity.

“I have directed the relevant ministries and agencies to ensure that recovered children receive proper reintegration support, not temporary attention,” he added.

He stressed that protecting children cannot be left solely to the government, noting that parents, teachers, traditional rulers, religious leaders, community leaders, youth groups, transport unions, local vigilantes and the media all have a role to play.

“When a community sees strange movement around a school and keeps quiet, a child is placed at risk. When warning signs are ignored, families suffer. When information is shared quickly and responsibly, lives can be saved,” he said.