Northern Nigeria is reeling from a devastating wave of mass abductions, with more than 300 children seized from their schools in two separate attacks within the past week alone.
A Nation Gripped by Fear
This recent surge in violence underscores a persistent and harrowing crisis in the country's conflict-battered north. According to a tally by The Associated Press, at least 1,799 students have been taken in a dozen of the largest abductions since the infamous 2014 Chibok attack.
While many of the children have been released, often following the payment of ransoms, and others have managed to escape, the psychological and societal scars run deep. The practice has become a lucrative criminal enterprise for armed gangs operating in the region.
Timeline of Terror: A History of School Abductions
The crisis began in earnest over a decade ago, setting a tragic pattern that continues to this day.
April 14, 2014: The world watched in horror as militants from the Islamic group Boko Haram abducted 276 schoolgirls from a government secondary school in Chibok, Borno State. Tragically, more than 90 of these students are still missing.
February 19, 2018: A faction of Boko Haram seized 110 schoolgirls from a science college in Dapchi, Yobe State. Although nearly all were later released, five girls were killed.
The years 2020 and 2021 saw a dramatic escalation in both the frequency and scale of these attacks, with abductions occurring in quick succession across multiple states.
- December 11, 2020: Gunmen on motorcycles attacked a school in Kankara, Katsina State, taking more than 300 boys. They were released after six days of negotiations.
- February 17, 2021: Armed men in military fatigues struck a science college in Kagara, Niger State, abducting 27 students and three staff members.
- February 26, 2021: In a nighttime raid on a school in Jangebe, Zamfara State, gunmen took over 300 schoolgirls, all of whom were released within weeks.
- March 11, 2021: Thirty-nine students were taken from the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization in Afaka, Kaduna State.
- April 20, 2021: Attackers targeted Greenfield University in Kaduna State, taking at least 20 students. Five were killed after ransom negotiations stalled.
- July 5, 2021: Over 100 students were abducted from Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna State, with releases occurring over several months.
This year has proven that the threat remains acute.
March 7, 2024: Gunmen riding motorcycles abducted 287 students from a government secondary school in Kuriga, Kaduna State.
March 9, 2024: Armed men broke into a boarding school in Gidan Bakuso, Sokoto State, and seized 15 children as they slept.
The Latest Attacks and an Uncertain Future
The crisis has intensified dramatically in recent days. On November 17, 2025, gunmen attacked a school in Kebbi State, taking 25 students and killing at least one staff member.
Just five days later, on November 22, 2025, armed gangs stormed a Catholic school in Niger State, seizing over 300 students and staff in one of the largest single incidents since the Chibok abduction.
These events highlight the severe challenges facing Nigeria in securing its educational institutions and protecting its youth. The repeated nature of these mass kidnappings points to a complex security situation that continues to evade a lasting solution, leaving thousands of children and their families in a state of perpetual fear.
