A 2023 presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar says Nigerian children should be able to study in a safe environment without fear of kidnap, attack or rape.
Atiku stated this in a Children’s Day message he personally signed and released to the media on Friday.
The former Vice President emphasised the critical role education played in his success story, noting that children must have access to quality education in a safe environment.
“On this occasion of Children’s Day, I wish to restate my call for a renewed focus on education in Nigeria, with particular attention paid to ensuring that our country’s children are safe in their classrooms when they learn.
“Equipping our children with a solid education is the best way to enable them to achieve their dreams and surmount whatever challenges that society might throw at them.
“I know from personal experience how getting an education can transform someone’s life and influence their destiny in unimaginable ways.
“My background, the loss of my father at an early age and the environment in which I grew up, were all factors that could have counted against me, but my going to school was the game changer; it made all the difference.
“Education will open the minds of these little jewels and power nation-building, especially in dispelling tribalism and other clannish divisions by expanding their minds to see a world beyond their village or tribe.
“With a solid education, each Nigerian child will grow to learn that we can all do more when we work together than when we are divided.
“It is imperative that our children in schools in all parts of Nigeria must study in safety, without fear of being kidnapped, attacked or raped.
“Protecting these precious children is a responsibility that the government and security personnel cannot take lightly. By protecting them, we are protecting our country’s future and building one future for one Nigeria!” Atiku said.