Attacks on schools in conflict zones surged by a staggering 44 percent over the past year, leaving Nigeria ranked fourth with 2,436 verified grave violations, according to the UN’s 2024 Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict.
The United Nations has revealed a disturbing 44 percent increase in attacks on schools worldwide over the past year, the UN Secretary-General stated on the International Day to Protect Education, held on September 9. According to the 2024 Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict, this surge has resulted in the death, abduction, and trauma of thousands of students and educators .
Nigeria ranks fourth among countries with the highest number of verified grave violations, recording 2,436 incidents, following Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (8,554), the Democratic Republic of Congo (4,043), and Somalia (2,568) .
UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that “each violation carries profound consequences, not only for teachers and young learners, but for the future of entire communities and countries,” and stressed, “no child should risk death to learn” .
The report also highlights a 34 percent increase in rape and other forms of sexual violence against children, and a 17 percent rise in abduction, recruitment, and related violations—marking what the UN describes as “an alarming escalation in brutality” .