By Deborah Nnamdi
Amnesty International has decried the rising wave of violent attacks and mass abductions targeting schools across northern Nigeria, accusing the government of failing to protect vulnerable children.
The organisation’s statement followed confirmation by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) that 315 students and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwarra Local Government Area of Niger State were abducted.
Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, said more than 230 children were abducted this week alone in two major attacks, prompting the shutdown of hundreds of schools in Katsina, Plateau, and several other states.
He noted that the recent assaults in Kebbi and Niger reflect a worrying pattern of official negligence. “Authorities never cared to learn any lessons,” he said, recalling that over 780 children were abducted in 2021, with some killed.
Sanusi warned that persistent insecurity has kept school attendance on a steep decline since 2021, as many children are now too afraid to return to class. He added that numerous underage girls are being withdrawn from school and married off by families seeking to shield them from possible abductions.
He stressed that the deliberate targeting of schools has devastating, long-term consequences. “The protection of children’s lives is paramount. There is a deliberate attack on children by armed groups. Using children as shields or bargaining chips is unacceptable,” he said.
Amnesty International urged the Nigerian government to investigate the attacks as war crimes, prosecute those responsible, and prioritize securing learning environments nationwide.
“No child should go through this. Education should not be a matter of life and death,” Sanusi added.
