Nigeria: 52 students abducted in Niger State

Nigeria has yet again faced another horrific wave of school kidnappings that occurred on November 21.

According to Africa News Plus agencies, armed men attacked St. Mary’s catholic school in Papiri, Niger state. Authorities have not confirmed the exact number of students abducted; however, local broadcaster Arise TV reports that 52 school children were kidnapped.

Recently, Nigeria has seen a huge rise in the number of cases of school abductions occurring, which is leaving families and children unsettled.

The Niger state government secretary, Abubakar Usman, said that the attack occurred despite the warnings of heightened threats of school kidnappings.

He also criticised the school for reopening “without notifying or seeking clearance from the state government, thereby exposing pupils and the staff to avoidable risk.”

It was only recently, on November 17, that armed men attacked a high school in northwestern Nigeria, abducting 25 school girls from their dorm at a boarding school in Kebbi state. Not only were the girls abducted, but a teacher at the school was shot and killed for trying to save pupils from harm’s way.

In this most recent attack, no group has yet come forward, nor issued any demands.

Kidnapping networks operate across Nigeria, with Boko Haram responsible for the infamous Chibok schoolgirl abduction in 2014. The incident, which saw the kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls, sparked a global campaign called #BringBackOurGirls, which included many testimonies and stories of families who have experienced the loss of a loved one.

The continuing attacks reflect unresolved security issues in schools, leaving families concerned for students’ safety.

Africa News Plus Agencies, Maghrebi.org