Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has linked the escalating insecurity and systemic decay in Nigeria to the long-term neglect of the country’s education sector.
Speaking on Saturday in Yola during the 17th Annual Founder’s Day of the American University of Nigeria, Atiku lamented that the failure of successive administrations since 2007—alongside the current government—to prioritise education has plunged the nation into its present crisis.
“The crass disregard for education inflicted upon us by the current and successive governments since 2007 has transformed what could have been a vibrant future into a bleak landscape,” he said.
According to Atiku, Nigeria’s most dangerous threat is not only the violent attacks by armed groups but also the deeper deterioration of education, healthcare, and other human development sectors. He warned that the long-term consequences of this neglect stretch far beyond present challenges.
He urged both individuals and the private sector to pay closer attention to the state of education in the country, noting that millions of idle youths have become vulnerable to criminal recruitment.
“Our beloved country, endowed with a youth population of enormous promise, faces staggering challenges that threaten to undermine our most precious asset—our children.
“Currently, millions of children remain out of school, and among those who do enrol, many find themselves disillusioned and trapped in an outdated system that fails to prepare them for the demands of an increasingly complex and competitive world.”
Atiku further described Nigeria’s education statistics as troubling, adding that the country now holds the unfortunate record of having the highest number of out-of-school children globally.