In a distressing incident, over 28 schoolchildren out of nearly 300, who fell victim to gunmen in the northern town of Kaduna, Nigeria, have managed to escape, as confirmed by the governor of Kaduna state.
Nigeria’s army is currently leading a frantic search, collaborating with police and local teams to scour the forests within Kaduna and neighbouring states for the missing children. This grim event marks the largest mass abduction from a school since 2021.
Gangs of armed men, riding motorcycles, carried out the abduction, targeting primary and secondary school children aged between eight and 15, according to school authorities and anguished parents. Virtually every household in the town is grappling with the nightmare of having a kidnapped child.
Tragically, one pupil, believed to be 14 years old and wounded by the gunmen, succumbed to injuries while receiving treatment at a hospital.
The gravity of the situation deepened as these abductions came on the heels of the prior day’s incident where women and children were taken from a remote town in Borno state.
The relentless efforts of troops, police, and local search teams continue in the hope of bringing the missing children back to safety.
Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani attributed the surge in kidnappings in the area to a shortage of boots on the ground, emphasising the critical need for increased security measures.
Families of the kidnapped children have taken matters into their own hands, forming vigilante groups and seeking assistance from neighbouring communities to locate their loved ones.
Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, is currently on a visit to Kaduna, where he is scheduled to meet with the governor to discuss the escalating situation.
President Bola Tinubu expressed confidence on social media, asserting his determination for the victims’ rescue. In a tweet, he declared, “Nothing else is acceptable to me and the waiting family members of these abducted citizens. Justice will be decisively administered.”
Intensive searches are underway not only in Kaduna but also in Katsina and Zamfara states, reflecting the widespread impact of the mass abduction.
The Kaduna incident has stirred painful recollections of the 2014 Chibok abduction, involving nearly 300 girls in Nigeria’s northeastern town.
Heightened concerns about safety have left parents in some northern regions hesitant to send their children to school, with the pervasive issue of armed men engaging in kidnappings for ransom preventing thousands of children from attending school.
Notably, the last significant school abduction in Kaduna occurred in July 2021 when gunmen seized over 150 students. Reunification with their families took place months later, following ransom payments.
In response to the alarming trend, Nigeria enacted a law in 2022 prohibiting ransom payments to kidnappers, imposing a 15-year jail term for those making such payments. Abduction cases resulting in victims’ deaths are now punishable by death, reflecting the government’s firm stance against this disturbing criminal activity.
