Nigeria is facing a severe crisis of insecurity, as armed groups have been kidnapping students, teachers, and traditional rulers in different parts of the country.
The kidnappers, who are motivated mainly by money, have been demanding ransom from the victims’ families or the government.
The latest incident occurred on Monday night when gunmen suspected to be herdsmen abducted six pupils, three teachers, and the driver of a private school bus in Ekiti State. They were returning from Eporo-Ekiti on the school bus. The kidnappers contacted the families of their victims on Tuesday evening, asking for N30 million ($78,000) in exchange for their freedom.
This was the second mass abduction of students in less than ten days. On February 17, 27 boys and their teachers were taken from a school in Kagara, Niger State. They were released on Saturday after negotiations with the government.
The abductions have sparked outrage and fear among Nigerians, who have been calling on the authorities to do more to protect schools and communities from the bandits.
Former Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the attacks and urged state governors to review their policy of rewarding bandits with money and vehicles, saying that such a policy could backfire with disastrous consequences².
Some security experts have also suggested that the government adopt a more proactive and preventive approach to the problem rather than relying on ransom payments or amnesty deals. They have also called for more collaboration and intelligence-sharing among security agencies and the local communities.
The wave of kidnappings has also raised questions about the impact of insecurity on the education sector, especially in the northern region, where many children are already out of school due to poverty, conflict, or cultural barriers.
Some parents have expressed concern that the abductions could discourage them from sending their children to school or force them to relocate to safer areas.
The Nigerian government has announced a state of emergency in the education sector and pledged to ensure the safety and security of all schools in the country.
It has also joined a global initiative called Safe Schools Declaration, which aims to protect schools from attacks and military use during armed conflict. However, these measures have not been enough to deter the kidnappers, who seem to have found a lucrative source of income in targeting schools.
