Fresh attacks on schools in Niger and Kebbi states last week have heightened concerns over student safety in northern Nigeria, with new findings showing that at least 2,496 students have been abducted in 92 school attacks since the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ kidnapping.
On Friday, gunmen abducted 303 students from a Catholic school in Niger State barely five days after 25 students were seized in Kebbi State. The latest incidents follow a long line of assaults that began with the abduction of 276 girls from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, in April 2014.
Statistics from UNICEF and Save the Children International show that between April 2014 and December 2022, over 1,680 students were kidnapped and at least 180 children killed, while more than 90 remain missing. About 60 teachers and school staff were also abducted during the period.
A Sunday Vanguard review further indicates that between January 2023 and November 2025, Nigeria recorded 22 additional school attacks, in which 816 students were kidnapped. Several incidents, especially in rural areas of Niger, Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina states, are believed to have gone unreported.
A Growing Industry of Mass Kidnapping
The Chibok abduction marked a turning point, emboldening criminal gangs in the North-West who later adopted mass school kidnappings as a lucrative enterprise. Communities in Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger and Kebbi states have since suffered repeated attacks.
UNICEF reports that only 37% of schools across ten high-risk states have basic early-warning systems. Human Rights Watch attributes the persistence of the crisis to widespread impunity, noting that bandits now strike schools with little fear of consequences.
Human Impact
Insecurity has deepened children’s reluctance to attend school, with UNICEF estimating that more than one million children fear returning to classrooms. At least 11,500 schools were shut in 2020 alone due to safety concerns.
Survivors of abductions struggle with trauma, stigma and disrupted education, while reintegration and support programs remain inadequate.
Government Response
Governments at state and federal levels routinely condemn attacks and pledge swift action. After last week’s Kebbi incident, President Bola Tinubu ordered the Minister of Defence to relocate to the state. However, analysts say many responses have been reactive and inconsistent.
Although some states have strengthened school security and revised boarding policies, civil society groups insist that safe-school standards remain under-implemented and poorly funded.
Ransom Payments
Despite government denials, reports from families, communities and independent investigators suggest that ransom payments have featured in several major cases:
- Chibok (2016/2017): Reports indicated about ₦3 million was paid for the release of 103 girls.
- Kuriga, Kaduna (2024): Intelligence reports suggested large cash payments, though denied by government.
- Greenfield University (2021): Parents confirmed paying ₦180 million and providing motorcycles.
- Dapchi (2018): UN reports indicated ransom payments.
- Kankara (2020): Accounts cited a ₦344 million demand and ₦30 million initial payment.
- Tegina (2021) and Afaka (2021): Ransom reports remain disputed.
Rising National Concern
The National Parent and Teacher Association of Nigeria described the situation as “alarming,” while student leaders called for urgent steps to secure school environments and curb abductions.
Experts warn that without stronger intelligence systems, investment in school safety, and clear policies on ransom payments, the crisis could become entrenched and further destabilize education in northern Nigeria.
Timeline of Key School Abductions (2014–2025)
The report lists major incidents including:
- Chibok, Borno (2014): 276 girls abducted.
- Dapchi, Yobe (2018): 110 girls seized.
- Kankara, Katsina (2020): Over 300 boys abducted.
- Jangebe, Zamfara (2021): 279 girls taken.
- Afaka, Kaduna (2021): 39 students abducted.
- Greenfield University, Kaduna (2021).
- Kuriga, Kaduna (2024): 287 pupils abducted.
- Tsafe, Zamfara (2023): Over 80 children kidnapped.
- Kebbi (Nov. 2025): 25 students kidnapped.
- Niger (Nov. 2025): 303 students kidnapped.
