Speaker
Description
Mashi, M. A.
Umaru Musa Yar'adua University Katsina
mubarakmashi@gmail.com
Track: Sustainability and the Future
Banditry in Northwest Nigeria has evolved from a localised form of rural violence into a serious humanitarian crisis, threatening the socio-economic well-being of the population. The education sector, particularly public secondary and primary schools, has suffered the most severe structural shocks from this menace, including the displacement of rural communities, the conversion of schools into hideouts by bandits, the destruction of school infrastructure, and, worst of all, the kidnapping of children and teachers in schools. This has led to the closure of schools, the withdrawal of children from schools, a decline in school enrolment and attendance among both teachers and students, psychological trauma, the disruption of academic activities, and, above all, a decline in literacy levels in the region. Therefore, this paper sought to examine the impact of banditry on the future of girl-child education across the worst-affected states in the North-Western region of Katsina, Kaduna, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara—between 2020 and 2025. Adopting the Human Security Theory and a mixed-methods research design, the study collected data from primary and secondary sources. The findings from the study reveal that the targeted kidnapping of schoolgirls and teachers, displacement, and the closure of schools by the state governments have caused an unprecedented increase in the number of out-of-school female children, which has led to exploitative domestic labour, sexual violence, illiteracy and the vicious circle of reproducing children with no educational future in the region.