Nigeria School Abductions Surge Amidst Violence

Nigeria Faces Rising Insecurity as School Attacks Intensify

A recent surge in mass abductions in north-central Nigeria has left the country reeling, with at least 402 people, mainly schoolchildren, kidnapped in four states since November 17. The UN human rights office has expressed shock at the recent attacks, urging Nigerian authorities to take immediate action to halt the violence and hold those responsible accountable.

The latest incident occurred in Kebbi State, where armed attackers stormed a government girls’ school, killing two people, including the school’s chief security officer, and abducting 26 female students. Two of the students later escaped, leaving 24 still in captivity. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu announced that 24 girls have been released, but the incident has sparked widespread concern about the safety of schools in the region.

The attack in Kebbi was one of several mass abductions that occurred within days of each other. In Niger State, 303 boys and girls, plus 12 teachers, were abducted from a school, while in Kwara State, a church was attacked, resulting in two deaths and 38 abductions. The rise in insurgent attacks is threatening regional stability and causing a spike in hunger, with nearly 35 million people projected to face severe food insecurity during the 2026 lean season.

The World Food Programme has warned that communities are under severe pressure from repeated attacks and economic stress, and that growing desperation could fuel increased instability with insurgent groups exploiting hunger to expand their influence. Human-rights activist Omoyele Sowore has drawn national attention to the lawlessness, highlighting the need for urgent action to address the crisis.

The Nigerian government has initiated both immediate and longer-term measures to respond to the crisis, including the deployment of troops to high-risk regions and search-and-rescue operations. However, experts argue that the roots of insecurity in northern Nigeria run far deeper than the activities of insurgent groups, and that decades of neglect by northern elites have created a system where millions of children grow up without support, opportunity, or protection.

The surge in school attacks has significant implications for the education and well-being of Nigerian children, particularly girls. Experts are calling for a more comprehensive approach to address the crisis, including the provision of trauma-informed curricula, peer support groups, and sustained mental health services within schools. The Nigerian government must also tackle the root causes of the crisis, including poverty, lack of education, and widespread youth unemployment, to prevent further attacks and ensure the safety and security of its citizens.