Nigeria kidnapping crisis deepens as families await rescue of abducted schoolchildren

Armed militants attacked Government Secondary School in Lassa, Borno State, on Monday morning while students were writing NECO examinations. Witnesses said suspected ISWAP fighters rode into town, opened fire and abducted an estimated 50 pupils; security forces later rescued eight. Parents of the missing children said they have lived in fear since the raid, with one mother stating, “We have had no peace of mind since they kidnapped our children while they were writing their exams.”

Across the country, families of victims from other recent kidnappings say government promises have faded into silence. In Kwara State, after a February attack that left 176 women, children and infants abducted, the traditional ruler of Woro complained, “There is no update because the government is not doing anything about it.” Similar grievances were voiced by relatives of abducted worshippers in Oyo and Kwara, who report ongoing ransom demands, sporadic escapee reports and little official communication. The growing crisis highlights persistent insecurity and the lack of coordinated rescue efforts.

The incidents underscore the broader wave of kidnappings in Nigeria, with families pleading for swift action and transparent government response.