Attacks on schools and the abduction of students in northern Nigeria have resurged, heightening national concern over the safety of schools and students in the North.

This follows the recent kidnappings in Kebbi and Niger states. The incidents, which saw dozens of students whisked away by armed bandits, underscore the persistent threats facing educational institutions across the region.

The renewed wave of violence has again exposed how vulnerable schools in the North West and North Central remain despite years of advocacy and government interventions. Parents, teachers and community leaders say the latest attacks reveal deep security gaps that continue to put children at risk inside spaces meant for learning and safety.

The growing frequency of school kidnappings has had far reaching consequences, contributing to declining enrolment, mass withdrawals and a climate of fear that undermines learning. Education experts warn that the increasing insecurity is widening the already alarming out of school children statistics in the region, further derailing national educational targets.

Over the past five years, more than 1,400 students have been abducted across northern Nigeria according to security trackers and humanitarian organisations. This figure forms part of a broader pattern documented since 2014 when mass school abductions became a recurring strategy for criminal gangs and insurgent groups operating across the North.

Findings across some states showed that in response to the attacks, state governments in the North West and North Central have begun rolling out various security measures aimed at preventing a recurrence. These include the deployment of joint security patrols, reinforcement of school fencing, relocation of students from high risk communities, establishment of early warning systems and closer intelligence sharing among security formations.

KWARA: Elevated Surveillance

In Kwara State, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has put in place different security arrangements in schools and places of worship in the southern part for maximum safety.

Recall that last Tuesday evening, bandits invaded Christ Apostolic Church Oke Isegun in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area of the state during a thanksgiving service, killing six worshippers while thirty others were abducted.

The governor said:

“Our government has put in place different security arrangements to put schools and places of worship in the southern part under elevated surveillance for maximum safety. There is also a strong mobilisation of members of the Nigerian Army into Eruku.”

Meanwhile, a top government official who pleaded anonymity told Sunday Vanguard that the state government is taking proactive security steps to ensure that bandits do not attack any school.

He said:”Definitely, Kwara government is doing something to protect the schools against bandit attacks. Serious security measures are being put In place to ensure that no school is attacked by the terrorists. In the real sense of it, you should agree with me that it is not something that should be put in the public domain for security reasons. These are not the times to take anything for granted in view of the security challenges not only in the state but across the country.”

Meanwhile, the state government has directed the closure of schools across four local government areas.

The decision was disclosed by the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Kwara State Wing.

In a circular obtained by Sunday Vanguard, the NUT Chairman, Yusuf Agboola, announced the shutdown of schools in Isin, Irepodun, Ifelodun and Ekiti LGAs.

Agboola explained that the union was acting strictly on instructions from the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development after the government raised concerns over fresh security threats in Kwara South.

The circular read:

“This is to inform you, and through you, all schools in the above local governments of the instruction to close down all schools with immediate effect until further notice. This decision was occasioned by the security challenges ravaging the area and the efforts of the government to control the situation. Treat this information as important and with the urgency it deserves as it emanated from the ministry.”

He assured school heads and teachers that further directives would be communicated as the situation evolves.

KANO: 1,600 Watchmen To The Rescue

Similarly, Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State has engaged the services of no fewer than 1,600 watchmen to man and beef up security in secondary schools across the state.

This comes barely hours after a deadly attack on a Government Girls School in the Maga community of Kebbi State where the school’s Vice Principal was killed and 25 students were abducted.

Speaking during the distribution of permanent and pensionable appointment letters to the newly recruited watchmen and 400 mathematics teachers, Governor Yusuf stated that ensuring a secure environment for students, teachers and school facilities remains a top priority of his administration, noting that learning cannot thrive where safety is compromised.

In a statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature, the governor said the deployment represents a major step toward restoring safety, discipline and stability in public schools.

Governor Yusuf emphasized that the watchmen will play a frontline role in safeguarding school premises, monitoring unauthorised activities and supporting the smooth running of academic activities.

He urged the newly appointed watchmen to discharge their duties with vigilance, discipline and integrity.

KEBBI: Public Schools in Affected Areas Closed

In Kebbi State, where one of the latest abductions took place, the state government has ordered the closure of schools.

Speaking to Sunday Vanguard, Special Adviser to the governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Idris Zuru, said public schools have already been closed, particularly those within affected towns and villages.

He maintained that the current administration inherited armed banditry.

Zuru added that adequate logistics and other support to the military degraded the insurgents and reduced their activities.

He noted that bandits cross to Kebbi from Zamfara and Sokoto states to attack neighbouring villages and retreat to their abodes.

He disclosed that until the latest abduction of students, Kebbi had been safe for pupils.

Zuru said the state now has the statistics of all boarding schools in both urban and rural areas and has stepped up round the clock physical and intelligence surveillance in and around the schools. The aim, he said, is to ensure the safety of students and teachers.

Specifically, Zuru said there is mass deployment of army, police and vigilante groups while the Department of State Services provides credible intelligence reports.

KADUNA: Safe School Policy

Kaduna State has adopted a multipronged approach to reduce school abductions. The steps include domesticating the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence Free Schools and launching a state Safe Schools Policy. It has also carried out school level risk mapping, annual school census, community engagement, improved coordination with security agencies and emergency plans for school closures and psychosocial support.

Earlier, the state unveiled its Annual School Census and the Kaduna State Policy on Safety, Security and Violence Free Schools. Officials described this as the domestication of the national policy to ensure local application of school mapping, minimum safety standards, evacuation procedures and clear roles for authorities and community leaders.

Kaduna government said it is working closely with the police, the military and the DSS to strengthen patrols around vulnerable areas, recover abducted students and establish rapid response systems.

PLATEAU: Immediate Closure of Basic Schools

In Plateau State, the State Universal Basic Education Board has announced the immediate closure of all basic schools across the state citing the need for urgent preventive measures to safeguard pupils and reassure communities.

Government Junior Model Secondary Schools suspended academic activities from Saturday 22 November 2025, while primary and day schools closed on Monday 24 November.

The board said intelligence reports suggested potential threats and that swift action was necessary.

SOKOTO: Institutions in High Risk Areas

Following the rise in school attacks, the Sokoto State government has reinforced its security strategy to protect students in boarding schools, maintaining its decision to keep all vulnerable schools within urban centres.

The policy, introduced in 2022, relocated several boarding schools from high risk rural areas to safer urban locations. Other schools were converted to day schools to reduce exposure to kidnapping threats.

Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Professor Ibrahim Alhassan, said the plan to return schools to their original sites has been suspended following the abduction of 25 schoolgirls in neighbouring Kebbi State. He said sending children back to rural schools would be dangerous and unacceptable to parents.

He noted that despite investments in fencing, surveillance and security personnel, the threat level remains too high for schools in border communities.

KATSINA: Physical security of schools

Katsina State has increased security in schools following a study showing that between 2020 and 2025 about 330 students were abducted and 52 schools shut down in Batsari, Faskari and Kankara LGAs.

The government Is domesticating the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence Free Schools and creating community based child protection committees that act as early warning systems.

Schools have received perimeter fencing, security guards and trained dogs. The state has also introduced psychosocial support and teacher capacity building programmes for affected students.

NIGER: Security measures strengthened

In Niger State, where the latest abduction occurred, the government has ramped up security and closed boarding schools in vulnerable zones.

Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Usman, confirmed that the state received credible intelligence of heightened insecurity in the Niger North Senatorial District and had earlier directed schools to remain shut.

He disclosed that St Mary’s Secondary School reopened without clearance, exposing students and staff to avoidable danger. The government has launched a probe into the breach.

Security agencies have begun a rescue operation while the government appealed to residents to support security forces with credible information. (Sunday Vanguard)