🔗 Share this article Safety Concerns Escalate in Nigeria Following Mass Kidnapping of More Than 300 Schoolchildren Armed attackers have abducted in excess of 300 schoolchildren and staff in what is considered the largest mass kidnappings in recent Nigerian history, according to a Christian organization on the weekend. Escalating Crisis in School Facilities The Friday morning assault on St Mary's co-educational school in western Nigeria occurred just a short time after armed men attacked a high school in adjacent Kebbi state, seizing 25 female students. Earlier reports had suggested 227 victims were seized, but revised numbers emerged after a detailed verification exercise confirmed that 303 pupils and 12 instructors had been kidnapped. The abducted students, ranging between eight and 18 years, account for nearly 50 percent of the school's total enrollment of 629. Government Reaction and Security Measures Local authorities have announced that intelligence agencies and police are currently performing a thorough assessment to verify the precise number of missing people. In reaction to the increasing safety fears, the local authorities has ordered the shutting of all schools in the state, with neighboring states adopting similar precautionary measures. Additionally, the national education department has ordered the provisional closure of 47 residential high schools across the country. President Bola Tinubu has cancelled overseas commitments, including attendance at the G20 summit in Johannesburg, to concentrate on handling the situation. Latest Security Events The school kidnappings constitute the latest in a series of safety breaches that have shaken the nation, including an attack on a church in western Nigeria where gunmen killed two individuals and seized many congregation members during a online broadcast service. These incidents have occurred against the backdrop of international focus on Nigeria's security situation. Historical Background Nigeria continues to be traumatized by the memory of the mass kidnapping of nearly 300 schoolgirls by jihadist group Boko Haram in Chibok more than a decade ago, with several of those girls still missing. Eyewitness Accounts In a disturbing recording circulated by Christian groups, a distraught employee recounted hearing the noise of bikes and vehicles before experiencing "forceful banging" on various entrances of the compound. "Children were screaming," the witness said, describing her panic while searching for keys to the area where the crying was loudest. The regional Catholic authority confirmed that the "attackers acted violently and without interruption for nearly three hours, searching sleeping quarters." Citizen Response and Fears At the same time, about 600km away on the periphery of Abuja, concerned guardians were collecting their students from educational institutions following the closure directive. One mother, a 40-year-old healthcare worker, expressed her disbelief at the scale of the abduction, questioning how 300 students could be abducted at once. She concluded that the "government is not doing enough to combat insecurity," and voiced support for international intervention to "resolve this situation." Ongoing Safety Issues For years, well-equipped criminal gangs have been conducting murders and abductions for money in rural areas of northern and central Nigeria, where government control is minimal. While no group has claimed responsibility for the recent attacks, bandit gangs demanding financial compensation often attack schools in rural areas where security is weak. These groups maintain bases in extensive forest areas spanning several states in western Nigeria. Although these criminals have no political motives and are primarily driven by financial gain, their growing cooperation with extremist groups from the northeastern region has become a major source of worry for authorities and experts alike.