The safety of sending children to school in Nigeria has become a major concern for many families.
In the past decade, it has sadly become a common occurrence for groups of Nigerian schoolchildren to be taken from their classrooms by armed individuals and held for ransom.
Despite promises from the government to enhance school security to prevent such incidents, the recent abduction of over 300 children from a Catholic school in Niger state has shattered parents’ confidence in the authorities’ ability to protect their children.
According to Isa Sanusi, the director of Amnesty International in Nigeria, parents are increasingly hesitant to send their children to school due to fears of kidnapping and insecurity.
Since the latest abduction, over 20,000 schools in seven Nigerian states have shut down indefinitely.
While the exact number of children withdrawn from schools following the recent incident is unknown, Sanusi estimates a significant figure, especially considering the overcrowded classrooms in rural areas.
Even before this incident, Nigeria already had a high number of out-of-school children, with concerns about kidnappings being a contributing factor.
Reunion of 100 children with their families this week
The Nigerian government successfully negotiated the release of 100 students who were kidnapped from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri village on Nov. 21.
These children were brought to Niger state’s capital Minna in armored vehicles before being reunited with their families.
The Christian Association of Nigeria reported that more than 300 students and 12 staff members were taken from St. Mary’s, with 50 managing to escape.
While over 100 victims remain unaccounted for, the exact number is still uncertain.
President Bola Tinubu reiterated the directive to ensure the safe return of all abducted individuals across the country.
Students from St. Mary’s School at the Niger State Government House after their release on Monday. (Marvellous Durowaiye/Reuters)
The attack on St. Mary’s is part of a series of school abductions that have escalated over the years, particularly since the 2014 Chibok incident involving Boko Haram.
In another recent event, gunmen
