Nigeria has once again been shaken by reports of mass school abductions. Just this week, attackers stormed St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State’s Papiri community, reportedly seizing dozens of children. The incident came only days after 25 students were kidnapped in Kebbi State, underscoring a grim reality: schools remain one of the most vulnerable targets in Nigeria’s ongoing security crisis.
Why Schools Are Targeted
Schools have become symbolic battlegrounds in Nigeria’s north. Analysts say armed groups view them as “strategic” targets — places where attacks guarantee maximum visibility and pressure on authorities.
- High-profile leverage: Kidnapping children draws national and international outrage, forcing governments to respond.
- Weak protection: UNICEF reports that only 37% of schools in conflict-hit states have early warning systems to detect threats.
- Ransom potential: Large groups of abducted students increase bargaining power for ransom payments.
Who the Kidnappers Are
Boko Haram & ISWAP
The jihadi insurgency Boko Haram — whose name means “books are forbidden” — has long targeted schools to undermine Western education. Its 2014 Chibok abduction of 276 girls shocked the world, and later attacks in Yobe state reinforced its brutal strategy. Many fighters have since aligned with Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), continuing to recruit vulnerable youth.
Armed Bandit Groups
Distinct from Islamist militants, bandit gangs operate across Nigeria’s northwest. Their motivation is largely financial: kidnappings for ransom.
- Often former herders who armed themselves after resource clashes with farmers.
- Known for night raids, motorbike attacks, and disguises in military uniforms.
- Responsible for mass abductions in Katsina (2020, 300 boys), Zamfara (2021, 300 girls), and Kaduna (2024, 287 students).
While sometimes conflated with extremists, analysts warn these bandits are a separate driver of instability, though links between them and Islamist groups are growing.
The Bigger Picture
Nigeria’s military has struggled to contain both insurgents and bandits. Despite airstrikes and special operations, extremists continue to overrun outposts and terrorize communities. President Bola Tinubu recently replaced the country’s security chiefs, while the U.S. approved $346 million in arms sales to bolster Nigeria’s fight.
Yet the crisis persists. Since Chibok, at least 1,500 students have been kidnapped. Many are released only after ransom payments, fueling a vicious cycle that keeps schools — and children — at the center of Nigeria’s insecurity.
Takeaway: School abductions in Nigeria are not random acts of violence. They are calculated strategies by both ideological extremists and profit-driven bandits, exploiting weak security and the symbolic power of education. Until schools are better protected, they will remain tragic flashpoints in Nigeria’s wider struggle against insecurity.