Nation in Fear as School Abductions Rise and 327 Pupils Remain Missing

Parents, teachers and school owners across the country are expressing deep concern over the surge in school abductions and the uncertain fate of the 327 pupils kidnapped in Kebbi and Niger states. Many now fear that no school is safe as attacks on learning institutions continue to escalate.

In Kebbi State, 26 schoolgirls were abducted from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga on Monday. Two escaped, leaving 24 still in captivity. In Niger State, 215 pupils and 12 teachers were first reported abducted on Friday, but the figure later increased to 303 after a fresh count confirmed more students missing. Despite claims of ongoing rescue efforts by security agencies and state authorities, the children’s whereabouts remain unknown.

Otubela Abayomi, Chairman of the National Proprietors of Private Schools, told MEWSMEN that the association’s National Executive Committee would meet urgently to review the crisis. He described the repeated abductions as painful, saddening and a threat to national development, stressing that children who should be shaping the country’s future are either in captivity or living in fear. He added that school communities are traumatized and the growing insecurity is discouraging learning.

The National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria, led by Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, also raised alarm, describing the situation as frightening. He urged the Federal Government to ensure the safe return of all abducted children and warned against another tragedy similar to the Chibok incident. He confirmed that about 45 schools had been shut down in vulnerable areas.

President Bola Tinubu, represented by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas at the Arewa Consultative Forum’s 25th anniversary in Kaduna, vowed to dismantle terrorist networks and restore peace in northern Nigeria. He said the region was facing one of its gravest tests marked by weakened communal values and rising violence. He insisted that no part of the country would be abandoned to insecurity and urged northern leaders to rebuild social trust, warning that insecurity would persist without unity.

In Niger State, more disturbing details emerged about the attack on St Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri. In a video obtained by MEWSMEN, the school principal, Rev. Sr. Felicia Gyang, described how gunmen broke through several gates past midnight as children cried for help. She said they attempted to reach security personnel but could not get through as the attackers moved from room to room before leaving with students and staff. The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora confirmed the incident and said the bandits operated for nearly three hours, injured a security guard and forced the abductees into buses and motorcycles. The diocese denied reports that the school ignored security warnings, noting that it had earlier strengthened protective measures after previous threats.

Reverend Bulus Yohanna, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Niger State, told MEWSMEN that the kidnappers had not contacted any family or school official. He said parents are distressed and the community is devastated.

Niger State has now shut all public and private schools, including missionary and Islamic institutions. Kebbi State has closed three major tertiary institutions and directed students to leave campuses immediately. Adamawa State has converted all boarding schools to day operations as a preventive measure. Several states had earlier taken similar steps due to rising insecurity. The Federal Ministry of Education clarified that there was no nationwide order for school closures.

Opposition parties and security experts are urging President Tinubu to deploy a more robust strategy instead of relying on changes in service chiefs. Labour Party leader Nenadi Usman said defeating terrorism requires sincerity of purpose and not symbolic reforms. Security analyst Kabir Adams said more than 80 armed groups now operate across the region and blamed recurring school attacks on failures in implementing the Safe Schools Initiative. Analyst Jackson Ojo added that systemic rot, widening poverty and the excessive lifestyle of political elites are undermining national security, calling for a complete structural overhaul.