Gunmen Abduct Over 200 Students and Teachers in Nigeria School Attack
KADUNA, NIGERIA – Gunmen attacked a school in Nigeria’s Kaduna state on Thursday, abducting 215 students and 12 teachers, authorities confirmed.Teh mass kidnapping underscores the escalating insecurity plaguing northern Nigeria, where armed groups continue to target schools and civilians despite government efforts.
The attack on the school, located in the Chikun local government area, is the latest in a series of abductions that have raised concerns about the safety of children and the government’s ability to protect it’s citizens.while the identities of the perpetrators remain unconfirmed, the region has seen increased activity from various armed groups, and analysts say the majority of victims of these groups are Muslims in Nigeria’s Muslim-majority north, where most attacks occur. The incident highlights a broader failure to address the root causes of insecurity, including a lack of prosecution for known attackers and widespread corruption that hampers security forces.
Residents blame the insecurity on a failure to prosecute known attackers, and the rampant corruption that limits weapons supplies to security forces while ensuring a steady supply to the gangs. Eze Gloria Chidinma, 27, a Lagos-based influencer, told The Associated Press her sister escaped the school during the attacks by jumping a fence. Chidinma recounted her family’s previous experience with kidnapping,stating,”My mother and my older brother where kidnapped last year. We called security, we called the police, and thay just saeid there is nothing they can do,” adding that the family paid “a huge amount of money” for their release. “My message to the authorities right now is to think about the people. Yoru job is to protect lives and properties. People’s lives should matter to you,” she said.
Yohanna Buru, a pastor and head of the Peace Revival And Reconciliation Foundation, called for increased security around schools in affected areas. “If the government was doing enough, then rampant kidnappings all over the country would not have happened,” he stated.”It’s as if they don’t care about the future of our children.”
Authorities have launched a search and rescue operation, but as of friday, the whereabouts of the abducted students and teachers remain unkown. The incident is likely to further fuel calls for greater security measures and a more thorough approach to tackling the ongoing violence in the region.
