WANEP Raises Alarm Over Rising Number of Out-of-School Children in Lagos, Warn of Threats to Peace and Security

By Uzairu Dauda Bunga:

Conflict Management and Peacebuilding experts have raised serious concerns over the growing number of out-of-school children in Lagos State, warning that the trend poses a looming threat to peace and security. The warning was issued during a one-day strategic meeting on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE), held in Lagos on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

At the meeting, organized by the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) and its partners, stakeholders inaugurated a Lagos State Steering Committee on PCVE, tasked with developing actionable strategies to tackle violent extremism and its root causes.

Speakers at the event highlighted the influx of children and young adults into Lagos from various parts of Nigeria—many of whom lack parental care or educational opportunities—as a major factor fueling the rise of street begging and engagement in illicit activities. These conditions, they warned, make such youths susceptible to recruitment by extremist groups.

Chief Dr. Bridget Osakwe, National Network Coordinator of WANEP, emphasized the urgent need to address violent extremism as a growing manmade crisis. “Exclusion, marginalization, lack of access to education, healthcare, justice, security, and economic opportunities are among the key drivers,” she said. “In Lagos, a microcosm of Nigeria, we must act now to prevent this from escalating into full-blown violent conflict.”

She also cited weak family structures, human rights abuses, poor governance, and systemic corruption as contributing factors to the vulnerability of children and youth.

Echoing these concerns, Mrs. Patience Ikpeh Obaulo, Head of Programs at WANEP Nigeria, noted that Nigeria ranks sixth on the Global Terrorism Index 2025. “This reality demands stronger collaboration between state and non-state actors,” she said. “Lagos, with its dense population and diverse communities, must not be allowed to become a breeding ground for extremism.”

Mrs. Kate Duru, Executive Director of Echoes of Women in Africa Initiative, called on the Lagos State Government to introduce tax reliefs or incentives for low-income families struggling to send their children to school. She acknowledged the government’s ongoing security efforts but urged greater support for vulnerable groups.

Participants also discussed strategies to prevent radicalization and outlined recruitment procedures for volunteers in PCVE initiatives.

The project, supported by the Partnership Against Violent Extremism (PAVE), seeks to strengthen coordination among civil society organizations (CSOs), government agencies, community leaders, and other non-state actors. Its goals include increasing awareness of PCVE and building the capacity of stakeholders to address the root causes of violent extremism across Nigerian communities.