18.5 million children out of school under Buhari: UNICEF

“In Nigeria there are 18.5 million out-of-school children, 60 per cent of these are girls,” Mr Farah said.

The number of out of schoolchildren in Nigeria has hit 18.5 million under the President Muhammadu Buhari regime, United Nations Children’s Fund has said.

Rahama Farah, Chief of UNICEF Kano field Office, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday.

“In Nigeria there are 18.5 million out-of-school children, 60 per cent of these are girls,” Mr Farah said.

He added that incessant attacks on schools by bandits and terrorists is a major reason for the soaring number of out-of-school children in the country.

“These attacks have created an insecure learning environment, discouraged parents and caregivers from sending their children to schools,” said Mr Farah.

This revelation shows that the number of Nigeria’s out of schoolchildren grew by close to seven million under the Buhari-led regime.

Before Mr Buhari assumed office in 2015, Nigeria had about 10.5 million out of schoolchildren