Sokoto, Nigeria – A worrying trend continues in Nigeria as gunmen recently launched an attack on a school in Gidan Bakuso, Sokoto village, kidnapping at least 15 pupils. This incident comes just days after approximately 300 children were abducted in another armed raid, raising concerns about the safety and security of students in the region.
The assailants reportedly stormed the school premises early in the morning, causing chaos among the students by firing shots sporadically. School owner Liman Abubakar Bakuso revealed that the abducted students range in age from 13 to 20, with one woman also taken captive. The community is distressed, and fervently hoping for the safe return of the abducted individuals.
This pattern of school kidnappings in Nigeria was initially associated with the jihadist group Boko Haram, which infamously kidnapped over 200 students in Chibok, Borno state, a decade ago. However, authorities now suggest that criminal gangs, driven by monetary motives, have adopted this tactic as a means of securing ransom payments.
The challenging security landscape in Nigeria, particularly in the face of an ongoing Islamist insurgency in the north-east, has left vast areas vulnerable to criminal activities. The lack of adequate policing has allowed armed gangs to operate freely, posing a significant threat to the safety of civilians.
In a separate incident in Kaduna, the state governor confirmed that 28 schoolchildren who were kidnapped earlier had managed to escape from their captors. This development comes amidst a relative lull in mass school abductions since July 2021 when approximately 150 students were taken captive by armed perpetrators.
The recent surge in school kidnappings highlights the urgent need for increased security measures and vigilance in Nigeria to protect vulnerable populations, particularly schoolchildren who should be able to pursue their education without fear of violence or abduction.Authorities must prioritize the safety and well-being of all citizens and take decisive action to address the escalating threat posed by criminal elements in the country.