Growing insecurity across parts of Nigeria has once again placed the safety of pupils and students at the centre of national concern, as fears mount over the vulnerability of educational institutions to attacks and abductions.
With recurring incidents targeting schools in different regions and a troubling history of mass kidnappings, parents, teachers and education stakeholders are increasingly questioning the adequacy of existing security arrangements for learners.
SEKYEN WALSHAK reports that these developments are fuelling renewed calls for urgent and coordinated action to safeguard schools and restore confidence in the education system
As schools resume in most parts of Nigeria for the third term academic session, there is growing anxiety among parents, teachers and education stakeholders over the prevailing security situation across Nigeria, following a continued wave of attacks and abductions targeting students.
The concern is heightened by recurring violent incidents in some communities and the persistent vulnerability of educational institutions, which have increasingly become soft targets for kidnappers and armed groups.
The pattern of school attacks in Nigeria has raised deep national concern over the safety of learners and the resilience of the country’s security architecture.
A history of school abductions
The crisis dates back prominently to April 15, 2014, when militants attacked Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, in Borno State and abducted 276 girls who were preparing for examinations. While some of the victims escaped or were later released, many remain unaccounted for to date.
On February 17, 2018, at Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Boko Haram insurgents of the ISWAP faction abducted 110 schoolgirls, most of whom were later released, except Leah Sharibu who remains in captivity.
Similarly, on December 11, 2020, gunmen abducted 344 schoolboys from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, in Katsina State, before they were later freed following negotiations.
At Salihu Tanko Islamic School in Niger State, 136 pupils were abducted, with some dying in captivity while others escaped before the rest were eventually released after months.
More recently, on November 18, 2025, 25 schoolgirls were abducted and a vice principal killed at Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School.
Just days later, on November 21, 2025, one of the largest mass kidnappings in Nigeria’s history occurred when 303 students and 12 staff members were abducted at St Mary’s Catholic Church, Papriri, in Niger State.
Reports indicate that between 2023 and 2025 alone, over 899 students were abducted from more than 20 schools across the country, with Boko Haram, ISWAP, and armed bandits identified as the main perpetrators.
These groups are said to operate mostly at night, targeting poorly secured boarding schools in rural areas, with victims often released only after ransom payments or prolonged negotiations.
Parents raise alarm over safety of children
A concerned parent, Mrs Nankyer Chamkida, expressed deep fear over the safety of children returning to school, noting the growing insecurity across communities.
“Frankly speaking, I am scared. I wish there was a way we could homeschool our children simply because the world is not safe outside. Today in Plateau, it is mostly gunmen attacking or opening fire at people. What if they come to these schools, take these children away, or kill them?” she said.
She lamented that many schools lack adequate security protection, stressing that learning environments cannot be considered safe without deliberate intervention from authorities.
Although Plateau State has not recorded large-scale school abductions, concerns remain that the prevailing national trend poses a potential threat if preventive measures are not urgently strengthened.
There are growing calls for stronger collaboration between school authorities, security agencies and government to reinforce protection, particularly in boarding and primary schools.
Stakeholders also emphasise the need for sensitisation of students and pupils to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities within and around school premises.
Ultimately, observers stress that Nigeria’s education sector can only thrive in an environment where safety is guaranteed, warning that without urgent action, schools across the country may remain vulnerable.