Nigeria is once again grappling with a wave of mass abductions, with no fewer than 145 people kidnapped across Kebbi, Niger, and Zamfara states in the last four days. The unsettling resurgence of coordinated attacks by gunmen has renewed political and security concerns as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.

This trend mirrors events ahead of the 2023 polls, when widespread kidnappings unsettled many communities. A previous report showed that between January and March 2023, at least 792 Nigerians were abducted nationwide, many of them in the northern region where banditry and violent criminality remain pervasive.

The most alarming recent incident occurred on Monday when armed men stormed the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, abducting 25 female students and killing a staff member. A school guard was also injured during the early morning attack.

The Nigeria Police Force confirmed the incident, stating that its tactical teams engaged the bandits but the attackers managed to escape with the abducted students. Additional police and military units have since been deployed to comb suspected routes and forest hideouts in an urgent effort to rescue the victims.

The Kebbi school abduction came just two days after gunmen killed 16 vigilante members and kidnapped 42 residents during separate attacks in the Mashegu Local Government Area of Niger State. In Zamfara State, another attack on Saturday in Fegin Baza village, Tsafe Local Government Area, left three residents dead and at least 64 others abducted. On Sunday, bandits launched a fresh assault on Tsohuwar Tasha village in Ruwan Doruwa Ward, Maru Local Government Area, abducting 14 more people, including 11 women and three children.

Communities in Zurmi, Shinkafi, Maradun, Tsafe and Bungudu local government areas of Zamfara State have faced repeated attacks in recent months, resulting in displacement and the imposition of levies and ransoms by armed groups.

The Federal Government, in a statement issued by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, expressed grave concern over the abductions and pledged to ensure the safe rescue of the students. The minister said President Bola Tinubu has directed security and intelligence agencies to locate, recover and safely return the missing students while ensuring that those responsible face justice.

The government reiterated that protecting Nigerians, particularly schoolchildren, remains one of its highest responsibilities. It added that efforts are underway to strengthen internal security by improving military, police and intelligence capabilities and by deepening regional cooperation with ECOWAS, the African Union and the Multinational Joint Task Force.

Meanwhile, the police and military have launched an intensive search and rescue operation across forests and suspected bandit routes.

The Minister of State for Defence condemned the Kebbi attack, describing it as unacceptable. He announced that the president had ordered all security agencies to intensify coordinated efforts to ensure the safe release of the abducted students. He also appealed for calm in affected communities, assuring residents that security agencies are working to restore normalcy.