KEY POINTS

• Northern school shutdowns widen across states.
• Mass abductions trigger urgent federal response.
• Communities plead for action as fear grows.

Nigeria is confronting a new wave of school violence as authorities move quickly to contain escalating attacks across the North.

Dozens of schools have been closed following a series of kidnappings that have left communities on edge and parents fearful for their children.

The federal government and several state administrations have ordered widespread shutdowns while security agencies rush to rescue abducted students and teachers.

Escalating attacks force northern school shutdowns

Tension spiked after bandits stormed St. Mary’s School in Niger State around 2 a.m., abducting 215 pupils and 12 teachers while the boarding students slept. Gunmen carried out the attack just four days after they kidnapped 26 schoolgirls from a secondary school in Kebbi State, killing the vice principal and wounding the principal.

Security teams deployed immediately, but the school had reopened against prior closure orders, putting pupils and staff at extreme risk. Parents described the chaos and terror, noting that gunmen arrived on motorcycles and whisked victims away within an hour.

Some students got away, but many are still missing. Families are traumatized, and communities are holding prayer sessions while they wait for news. The defence minister relocated to Kebbi to coordinate rescue efforts and strengthen operational planning with top security officials.

States widen northern school shutdowns amid fear

In response, the federal government shut 41 unity schools, and several northern states including Kwara, Plateau, Katsina, and Benue also closed schools, where insecurity had already forced hundreds to suspend operations.

Teachers reported that many institutions had remained closed for years, with displaced students now living in camps. Sokoto and Kebbi states strengthened security measures around schools, ensuring patrols and surveillance are in place, though some governors criticized recent military withdrawals that left vulnerable campuses exposed.

Data from the Safe Schools Plan revealed that more than 42,000 schools in the region lack perimeter fencing, highlighting the structural vulnerabilities that leave students at risk. Northern governors and religious leaders have urged immediate government action, warning that ongoing attacks threaten education and instill fear across communities.

Despite the horror, families remain committed to schooling, holding daily prayers and hoping for the safe return of abducted children, while authorities continue rescue operations and security reinforcement.