The African Women Lawyers Association, Nigeria (AWLAN), Enugu State Branch, has intensified calls for urgent national intervention following the continued captivity of 49 pupils and teachers abducted from Oriire in Oyo State, who are reportedly being held within the Old Oyo National Park.
The association, while situating the crisis within a broader child protection framework, warned that the promise of education and sanitation will lose meaning where the safety of lives cannot be guaranteed. It stressed that no right can be fully exercised in the absence of security, particularly for children in learning environments.
The development was disclosed in a statement signed by the AWLAN, Enugu State Chapter and made available to journalists on Tuesday to mark the “International Day of the African Child”
The statement was jointly signed by the State Coordinator of AWLAN, Bar Chidi Grace Obeke, the Secretary, Bar Sylvia Abana, the Treasurer, Bar Georgina Emeribe, the National Executive, Dr Nnenna Anozie and the Ex-Officio, Bar Nma Ogbonna. At the same time, the team adopted a dual strategy that merged public sensitisation with direct material support in schools.
The group also used the occasion to examine systemic weaknesses spanning education infrastructure, water and sanitation access, domestic child welfare, and national protection mechanisms.
AWLAN also urged the Federal Government and relevant security agencies to immediately intensify intelligence-led operations aimed at securing the release of the abducted teachers and pupils, describing the situation as a stark test of the state’s responsibility to safeguard children within and around educational spaces. It warned that continued delays in response risk further eroding public confidence in national security systems.
Anchoring its advocacy on the continental theme, “Ensuring Universal Access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) for Every Child in Africa,” the association combined media outreach with direct community engagement. The campaign commenced with a live programme on Voice of Light FM, followed by physical visits to selected schools in Enugu State.
As part of the field engagement, the AWLAN delegation visited Queens Model Secondary School and Charis Eretz Academy, where discussions were held with students and administrators on hygiene practices, safety standards, and welfare conditions within learning environments.
During the WASH-focused intervention, AWLAN distributed sanitary pads, bottled water, beverages, biscuits, and specially designed hygiene buckets fitted with taps. The association explained that the gesture was intended to address immediate welfare gaps while also drawing attention to deeper infrastructural deficiencies affecting public education delivery.
Beyond welfare support, the campaign evolved into broader reflections on governance, particularly the state of public education infrastructure and child protection systems in Nigeria.
The association called for increased investment in water and sanitation facilities across public schools, warning that continued neglect deepens inequality and undermines the learning outcomes of children from vulnerable backgrounds.
AWLAN also raised concerns about emerging patterns in education reform, where older public institutions are reportedly being replaced or restructured into upgraded facilities that may become financially inaccessible to low-income families.
Citing concerns about developments affecting Government Technical College, AWLAN cautioned that modernisation efforts must not inadvertently lead to exclusion. It argued that genuine reform should expand access to education, strengthen public institutions, and preserve inclusivity rather than displace it.
Attention was also drawn to conditions within domestic settings, where the association condemned what it described as normalised patterns of exploitation against minors. It highlighted concerns over unequal treatment of children in households, particularly in cases involving domestic help, foster children, or dependent relatives.
The group criticised practices involving excessive labour, neglect, and emotional deprivation, stating that such actions contradict both legal protections and moral expectations governing child welfare. It insisted that every Child, regardless of household arrangement, is entitled to dignity, safety, and humane treatment.
In its message, AWLAN also called on religious leaders to extend their influence beyond spiritual guidance into active child protection roles within their communities. It urged faith institutions to help identify cases of abuse and support community-based safeguarding systems.
The association referenced obligations under the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, which guarantees children’s rights to health, welfare, education, and holistic development, including physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
It further emphasised the need for coordinated action involving government institutions, families, religious bodies, and civil society to build a stronger protection framework for children across Nigeria.
Concluding its intervention, AWLAN reaffirmed its commitment to sustained legal advocacy and public enlightenment, insisting that every Child must be guaranteed access to protection, dignity, and basic social services, regardless of background or circumstance.
