Student leaders from across northern Nigeria's 19 states have sounded the alarm over escalating bandit attacks on campuses, urging President Tinubu to immediately strengthen security around universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education in the region.

The Student Wing of the Northern Youth Frontiers issued the warning in a communiqué signed after an emergency joint congress of student leaders, campus delegates, and youth stakeholders from the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, held in Abuja.

The communiqué was jointly signed by the National Coordinator of the NYF Student Wing, Ibrahim Bello, and the Secretary General, Hauwa Abdulaziz.

The group disclosed that many tertiary institutions and off campus student communities in the North remained vulnerable to attacks, leaving students living in fear as they pursued their education.

"We urgently appeal to President Bola Tinubu to intensify security efforts across Northern campuses, which remain vulnerable to threats from bandits and kidnappers," the communiqué stated.

The congress demanded aggressive funding of the Safe Schools Initiative and the deployment of round the clock military and police patrols around universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, as well as off campus residential zones and critical transit routes.

"Specifically, we call for the aggressive funding of the Safe Schools Initiative, alongside the deployment of specialised, round the clock military and police patrols around tertiary institutions, off campus student residential zones and critical transit routes to guarantee that students can utilise their loans in safety and peace," the communiqué added.

Despite the security concerns, the group commended the Federal Government for implementing the student loan scheme under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, describing it as a vital intervention for indigent students. The congress noted that N72.03bn had been disbursed directly into students' accounts as monthly N20,000 upkeep support, while N161.97bn had been disbursed under the scheme in 2026. The group also noted that 1.3 million Nigerian students had registered and applied through the NELFUND portal.

"By stepping in where poverty would have forced brilliant minds out of school, NELFUND has restored dignity to the less privileged and brought immense psychological and financial relief to countless struggling families," the communiqué stated.

The congress passed a vote of confidence in President Tinubu and NELFUND Managing Director Akintunde Sawyerr, urging the government not to allow insecurity to erode the benefits of the loan programme. The group stressed that access to education could only improve in an environment where students felt safe.