Experts Warn On Dangers Of Out-Of School Children For Lagos

Conflict Management and Peace-building experts have warned that the increasing numbers of out-of-school children in Lagos State have assumed a worrisome dimension and called on the state government to urgently engage stakeholders to put measures in place to address the menace.
They spoke at a recent one-day meeting on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE), where a Steering Committee was inaugurated in Lagos State to work out an Action Plan for preventing violent extremism.
Speakers identified the influx of young adults and children from states across Nigeria into Lagos, and those within the state without parental care and guidance as a leading factor that has resulted in the large number of children on the streets of the commercial city.
It is these children that go about either begging for alms or engaging in nefarious activities that constitute dangers to residents.
The National Network Coordinator, West Africa Network for Peace Building (WANEP), Dr. Bridget Osakwe, said the organisation had identified violence extremism as an emerging man-made phenomenon and decided to work with major stakeholders on how to nip it before it results into extreme violent conflicts in Lagos State.
According to her, the causes of violent extremism range from exclusion and marginalization, lack of access to social services such as education, health care, justice, security, livelihoods, and the opportunity to influence the decisions that affect their lives.
Others include lack of opportunities, grievances with the state, murder or arrest of family members and friends, human rights abuses, weak family structures, growing number of children without adequate parental guidance and poor governance and widespread corruption.
The WANEP boss said, “The country is impacted by violent extremism and terrorism and we must ensure that a state like Lagos, a mini-Nigeria, is saved from such dangerous development, hence our commitment to this project.”
Head of Programs WANEP Nigeria, Mrs Patience Ikpeh Obaulo, noted that Nigeria ranks sixth in the Global Terrorism Index 2025 and thus, active collaboration between the state and non-state actors has become necessary to ensure that a state like Lagos, a mini-Nigeria is saved from the escalation of this menace, a reason for WANEP, Nigeria’s commitment to the project.
On her part, executive director, Echoes of Women in Africa Initiative, Mrs. Kate Duru advised the Lagos State government to consider tax incentives for vulnerable families who can no longer send their wards to school, following the excruciating economic hardship in the country.
The speakers however, commended the state for security measures taken so far to ensure the safety of the citizens.
They outlined strategies to address violent extremism and the recruitment processes for would-be volunteers in the prevention activities.
The project, championed by Partnership Against Violent Extremism (PAVE) said it aims to foster coordination in Civil Society PCVE interventions, and enhance collaborations between government, CSOs, as well as strengthen the capacities of state and non-state actors to address the causes and drivers of radicalization in Nigeria.
According to UNICEF, Nigeria has approximately 20.2 million out-of-school children in both primary and the junior secondary schools. One out of three school-age children are out of school.