Gunmen have recently kidnapped over 300 students and teachers from St. Mary’s co-educational school in Niger State, Nigeria. This incident marks one of the largest mass abductions in the country’s history. After an earlier abduction of 25 girls from a nearby school, this escalation has raised serious security concerns in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation.
The latest figures indicate 303 students and 12 teachers were taken, according to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). This number was higher than initially reported due to a verification process. The kidnapped individuals are mostly aged between eight and 18 years, making up almost half of the school’s population.
In response to this crisis, the state governor, Mohammed Umar Bago, has ordered a closure of all schools in Niger State. Other neighboring states have followed suit, aiming to prevent further abductions. Meanwhile, the national education ministry has suspended 47 boarding schools across the country.
The Nigerian government has remained silent on the number of individuals abducted. President Bola Tinubu has canceled international engagements, including attending the G20 summit, to focus on resolving the situation.
This recent wave of violence also ties into broader trends of insecurity in Nigeria. The country has a painful history of mass kidnappings, notably the 2014 abduction of nearly 300 girls by Boko Haram in Chibok, which remains a scar on the nation. Some of those girls are still unaccounted for today.
In the wake of the attacks, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has called on Nigerian authorities to take immediate action against violence targeting Christians in the region. This plea comes amid accusations from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has discussed the potential for military intervention to address the escalating crisis.
User reactions have been strong on social media, with many expressing frustration over the government’s failure to provide security. For example, a concerned mother, Stella Shaibu, questioned how such a large-scale abduction could happen and voiced support for international intervention.
Research shows that rural areas in Nigeria are increasingly vulnerable to such attacks due to a lack of effective government presence. Armed gangs operate freely, often targeting schools with poor security. While these criminals claim no ideological motives, their collaboration with jihadist groups in the northeast is alarming for both citizens and security analysts.
In the broader context, incidents of mass abduction have sparked debates on national safety and the effectiveness of government agencies in Nigeria. As insecurity escalates and fear spreads, the urgency for coordinated efforts to restore safety is more critical than ever. For more details on this ongoing issue, visit The Guardian.
