The United States government yesterday urged the Federal Government to ensure that those behind the abductions of schoolchildren in Kebbi and Niger states are swiftly apprehended and prosecuted.
This followed the Presidency’s announcement that the US had agreed to form a joint working group aimed at boosting counterterrorism efforts and strengthening security cooperation between both nations.
US, Nigeria Seal Security Deal To Fight Terror
According to the Presidency, the collaboration will help fast-track Nigeria’s outstanding arms requests while enhancing intelligence sharing between both countries. The development came as the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora in Niger State released the full list of victims still held captive in the forest, revealing that of the 265 people still missing, 239 are nursery and primary school children.
Amnesty International Nigeria also warned that the growing wave of school kidnappings could severely undermine educational development across northern Nigeria. In a message posted by the US Bureau of African Affairs, Washington strongly condemned the kidnappings in both Kebbi and Niger states and urged Nigerian authorities to do more to protect citizens, including Christians, from such attacks.
The statement said: “The United States condemns the mass abduction of reportedly over 300 students and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, Nigeria and the kidnapping, just days before, of 25 schoolgirls from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State. Those responsible for these crimes must be swiftly captured and held accountable. The Nigerian government must act decisively and do more to protect Christians and ensure Nigerians can live, learn and practise their religion freely without fear or terror.”
The abductions occurred within days of each other. On November 17, gunmen attacked Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, killing the vice principal, Hassan Makuku, and abducting at least 25 students.
Four days later, on November 21, another group of gunmen stormed St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, kidnapping 303 students and 12 teachers. The Christian Association of Nigeria later confirmed the figures after conducting a census of missing persons and reported that 50 students managed to escape and reunite with their families.
US To Speed Up Arms Supply, Boost Intelligence Sharing
The Presidency stated that Nigeria and the United States had agreed to intensify cooperation in the fight against terrorism following a series of high-level meetings in Washington last week.
The Nigerian delegation, led by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, also included the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi; the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; the Chief of Defence Staff, Olufemi Oloyede; the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Emmanuel Undiandeye; the Special Adviser to the NSA, Idayat Hassan; and the Director of Foreign Relations at the Office of the NSA, Ibrahim Babani.
On the US side, the meetings featured officials from the Congress, State Department, National Security Council, Department of War, and the White House Faith Office. Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the US affirmed its readiness to deepen security support by enhancing intelligence sharing, speeding up the processing of defence equipment requests and possibly providing excess defence articles depending on availability.
He added that the US would also support Nigeria with humanitarian assistance in affected regions and help strengthen early-warning mechanisms for detecting security threats. Both countries have agreed to immediately implement a non-binding cooperation framework and establish a joint working group to coordinate action.
According to Onanuga, Nigeria used the meetings to correct what it described as “misconceptions” about the security situation and stressed that allegations of genocide were inaccurate, noting that violence affects communities across religious and ethnic divides.
239 Children Still Missing In Niger — Diocese
The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora confirmed that 239 out of the 265 victims still missing are nursery and primary school pupils. The remaining victims include 14 secondary school students and 12 members of staff.
The Diocese stated that the kidnappers had not contacted the school, the parents or the government, leaving the exact situation and location of the victims unknown. It added that about 50 students managed to escape during the early phase of their movement into the forest.
A detailed breakdown of those missing, contained in the list provided by the Diocese, shows that the majority belong to the early primary and nursery classes. The Diocese stressed that the bandits had still not opened communication with any relevant party, causing heightened anxiety among parents and the community.
NLC Condemns Attack As Assault On The Nation’s Future
The Niger State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress expressed deep sorrow and outrage over the abductions, describing the incident as a barbaric attack on education and the future of children. The state NLC chairman, Idrees Abdulkareem Lafene, called the attack an assault on humanity and urged all security agencies, including the police, the Department of State Services, the military and local vigilantes, to intensify rescue efforts.
He appealed to the federal and state governments to provide adequate logistics, intelligence support and resources to ensure the safe return of all the abducted students and staff. The NLC urged community and religious leaders to promote peace, provide information where necessary and support affected families. Lafene emphasised that education remains the foundation of development and that any attack on schoolchildren is an attack on the very future of the country.
Survivor Recounts Terror As Kwara Church Attack Unfolded
A survivor of the attack on Christ Apostolic Church, Eruku, in Kwara State, has described the ordeal as terrifying. The incident, which happened on the evening of November 18, resulted in the death of two people and the abduction of 38 worshippers, all of whom were freed on Sunday. Speaking with TVC, the survivor, who asked to remain anonymous, said the gunmen struck shortly after the church programme began.
He recalled that after about 30 minutes, gunshots suddenly rang out, although he initially mistook the sound for a wire sparking. He said the attackers surrounded the entire church and later moved the captives into a forested area that was under their control.
The kidnappers, he added, told their victims that escape was impossible due to their total command of the terrain, noting that they knew every route linking forests within Kwara and neighbouring states.
Amnesty Warns Of Growing Threat To Northern Nigeria’s Education
Amnesty International Nigeria has warned that the escalating trend of school kidnappings is pushing northern Nigeria towards a major educational crisis. Isa Sanusi, the Country Director, said on Channels Television that both the trauma and fear of abduction are likely to push thousands of children out of school.
He explained that many families, especially in rural communities, already struggled to keep their children in school due to economic hardship, and rising insecurity would only worsen the situation. According to him, fear of attacks will discourage attendance, further weakening the region’s educational system.
Sanusi warned that if the crisis continues, an entire generation may be denied the right to education, adding that with over 12 million children already out of school, the situation could become even more bleak.
