UNICEF to offer mental health, psychosocial support to freed Tegina students

Following the release of 91 students of Salihu Tanko Islamiya School, Tegina, Niger State, abducted three months ago, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said that it will work with partners to provide mental health, psychosocial support and counseling services to both the freed students and their parents.

This was contained in a statement signed by the communication specialist of the UNICEF in Nigeria, Kano field office, Samuel Kaalu.

The statement noted that the UNICEF was happy that the abducted students had been freed from captivity. The organisation also condemned the death of one of the child in captivity.

The statement quoted the UNICEF representative in Nigeria, Peter Hawkins as saying, “It is a tragedy and utterly unacceptable that one of these children died in captivity. Hayatu Hashimu was just six years old at the time of his death.

“No family should lose a child because it took the right decision to send that child to school. Schools should not be a target. Children should not be a target. Education is a fundamental right of every child and any attack on an educational institution is a violation of that right. We reiterate our call to the authorities to take all necessary measures to ensure that schools are safe for all children.”

According to the UNICEF, an estimated 200 Nigerian students are believed to still be held captive since December 2020 while more than 1,000 have been abducted.