Parents worry about sending children to school because of banditry, says Archbishop Onuoha

Archbishop Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha, head of the Methodist Church, urged the Federal Government to adopt more decisive tactics in the fight against banditry, arguing that stricter measures are essential to safeguard Nigerian schools, communities, and public institutions from being overrun by armed groups.

Speaking in Umuahia on Monday during the 14th Vision Africa School Debate Competition, Onuoha called for bold action to secure the release of abducted schoolchildren and other kidnapping victims across the country.

He warned that the increasing attacks on schools and communities represent a direct assault on education, national unity and social stability, and that security agencies must respond with the strongest possible measures.

The archbishop urged the Federal Government to confront banditry using the strategy employed by the Nigerian Army under former Chief of Army Staff Lt‑Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika (Rtd.). He also noted that parents in some regions now fear sending their children to school for fear of losing them to bandits.

Onuoha appealed for intensified efforts to rescue all remaining kidnapping victims, insisting that every lawful strategy be used to secure their freedom and restore public confidence in safety.

During the event, Mrs Priscilla Otti, wife of the Abia State Governor, reiterated the Abia State Government’s commitment to protecting the lives and educational futures of its children.