Don’t allow insurgents to kill education
Gunmen abducted over 80 students in coordinated attacks across Nasarawa, Borno, and Oyo states in May, killing two and beheading a headmaster, as part of a 17-year insurgent campaign to dismantle Nigeria’s education system. The latest wave of violence follows years of persistent attacks, including the 2014 Chibok abduction and the 2021 Kagara school raid, prompting school closures and a federal security emergency declaration in November 2025.
Nigeria’s education system faces escalating threats from insurgent groups, with coordinated attacks in May targeting schools in Nasarawa, Borno, and Oyo states. On May 6, six students from Nasarawa State University’s Faculty of Engineering were abducted in Gudi. Ten days later, Boko Haram terrorists raided Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Borno, kidnapping 42 pupils. Simultaneously, three schools in Oyo—Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Community Grammar School, and L.A. Primary School—were attacked, resulting in the deaths of an assistant headmaster and a motorcyclist, alongside the abduction of over 40 students and a headmaster later beheaded. The attacks reflect a long-standing insurgent strategy to dismantle education, dating back to the 2014 Chibok abduction of 276 schoolgirls. Since then, incidents like the 2018 Dapchi kidnapping of 110 girls and the 2021 Kagara school raid have become routine, spanning primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions. In November 2025 alone, over 300 students and teachers were abducted in Niger State, while 145 people, including schoolchildren, were kidnapped in Kebbi, Niger, and Zamfara states within four days. The Federal Government declared a security emergency on November 26, 2025, after a barrage of attacks, including the closure of 188 public schools in Northern Nigeria due to insecurity. Over 50 schools in Benue State were converted to Internally Displaced Persons shelters in 2024, and Unity Schools nationwide were shut down. The violence has forced governments to close institutions indefinitely, with Kwara State shutting 50 schools in four local government areas following worshipper abductions. The latest attacks highlight the insurgents’ superior firepower and strategy, raising concerns about the future of education in Nigeria. Authorities have struggled to contain the violence, with persistent kidnappings at universities and polytechnics, including the September 2025 abduction of 30 students from Federal University of Gusau. The trend underscores a deliberate effort to destabilize education, with schools repurposed as military or IDP camps. Experts warn of worsening conditions unless security strategies are overhauled to protect students and educators nationwide.
This content was automatically generated and/or translated by AI. It may contain inaccuracies. Please refer to the original sources for verification.