Recent abductions of 303 students in Niger and 25 in Kebbi have revived Nigeria’s school kidnapping crisis, a pattern ongoing since Boko Haram’s 2014 Chibok attack. Verified data shows over 2,400 students kidnapped since 2014, with many more incidents unreported. Criminal bands have turned mass abduction into a lucrative business, exploiting weak security and governance.
Despite government denials, ransoms are frequently paid, fueling the cycle. The human toll is immense, creating widespread trauma, school closures, and over a million children fearing to attend class. Analysts warn that without structural security reforms and safe-school investments, this crisis will become a permanent, destabilizing national feature.
List of adopted students (Major incidents cited)
- Chibok, 2014: 276 girls
- Dapchi, 2018: 110 schoolgirls
- Kankara, 2020: 300+ boys
- Kagara, 2021: 27 students
- Jangebe, 2021: 279 girls
- Afaka, 2021: 39 students
- Greenfield University, 2021: 20 students
- Bethel Baptist, 2021: 120+ students
- Tegina, 2021: 200 Islamic school pupils
- Kuriga, 2024: 287 pupils
- Gidan Bakuso, 2024: 15 pupils
- Kebbi, 2025: 25 students
- Niger, 2025: 303 students