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Nigeria: 10 Years after Chibok, Schoolchildren Still at Risk – HRW
Nigeria: 10 Years after Chibok, Schoolchildren Still at Risk – HRW
…Urges Government To Implement Safe Schools Plan to Protect Schools, Children
By: Our Reporter
Ten years after the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok, Nigerian authorities have failed to put in place and sustain crucial measures to provide a secure learning environment for every child, Human Rights Watch said today.
Since 2014, according to Save the Children, more than 1,600 children have been abducted or kidnapped across northern Nigeria. In the northeast, the armed conflict between Boko Haram and Nigerian armed forces continues to take its toll and, in the northwest, criminal groups commonly called bandits are terrorizing communities. During February and March 2024 alone, bandits kidnapped over 200 children from their schools in Kaduna and Sokoto states.
“For many children across northern Nigeria, the pursuit of an education means facing the constant threat of abduction or kidnapping,” said Anietie Ewang, Nigeria researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Children should never face the harrowing dilemma of sacrificing their safety for education, but this untenable choice, which echoes the profound insecurity plaguing the country, is thrust upon them daily.”
On April 14, 2014, Boko Haram, an Islamist armed group, abducted 276 girls from their school in Chibok, a town in northeastern Borno state, sparking global outrage. Although some of the girls escaped, or were released or rescued, 96 remain in captivity according to UNICEF, and civil society groups continue to pressure the government to ensure they are rescued. Boko Haram, known for its opposition to education, has carried out other such abductions, including one of 110 girls from a school in Dapchi, a town in Yobe state, in 2018.
In addition to kidnappings by Boko Haram in the northeast, the ongoing banditry crisis in the northwest has in recent years made that area a hub for criminal kidnapping for ransom. The crisis emerged after years of conflict between herders and farmers, giving rise to the criminal groups, which have carried out widespread killings, looting, extortion, and kidnapping for ransom in mostly rural communities.
Between December 2020 and February 2021, a series of high-profile incidents, including the abduction of over 600 schoolchildren across Zamfara, Katsina, and Niger states, thrust the kidnapping issue into the spotlight.
In the aftermath of Chibok, the Nigerian government endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration, an international political commitment to protect education from attack and schools from military use which turns them into targets. The government also adopted a Safe School Initiative for Nigeria with the support of the global community and Nigerian business leaders. The initiative aimed to raise funds with an initial US$10 million pledge to help make schools safer, including by moving them to safer areas and creating a safe school model for schools across Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe, the three states worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency.
However, the multi-stakeholder initiative faced problems, and there has been a decline in momentum over the years with little or no progress made in fortifying schools, Human Rights Watch said. In 2021, Nigeria’s then-Senate president Ahmad Lawan, following an investigation into the utilization of the funds for the initiative, declared that it was designed to fail without a National Policy and Strategy for the Safe School Initiative and the leadership of the Federal Education Ministry. In the meantime, communities continue to suffer the brunt of bandit attacks and schoolchildren remain vulnerable prey.
A Chibok girl who was in Boko Haram captivity for over two years, and was released with 20 others, told Human Rights Watch that news of school kidnappings brings back memories of her ordeal. “Whenever I hear that more children have been kidnapped, I feel terrible, helpless,” she said. “We are still not safe … It brings back memories of what happened to me. I can never forget being snatched from my parents, my family for so long. I pray this is not the case for those that are kidnapped.” She is now a 28-year-old university student studying natural and environmental sciences.
Kemi Okenyodo, an expert in security and governance and the executive director of the Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative in Abuja, told Human Rights Watch that the ongoing school kidnappings, resembling those in Chibok a decade ago, highlight a failure to learn from past experiences, as they are taking place without adequate security infrastructure or intervention from authorities to prevent dozens or hundreds of children being snatched away at once.
Amid the heightened threat of attacks on schools, many have been forced to shut down completely, with more than 20 million children out of school in Nigeria, according to UNESCO, among the highest number in any country in the world. According to UNICEF, 66 percent of out-of-school children in Nigeria are from the northeast and northwest, which are among the poorest regions in the country.
For girls especially, the challenges are double edged. They risk rape and other forms of sexual violence if kidnapped, and if kept out of school, they risk child marriage, which is a common practice in these regions.
In 2021, the government adopted the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence Free Schools aimed at improving school security, strengthening the capabilities of security agents to respond to threats, and ensuring that education continues for children displaced by conflict and crisis, among other reasons.
The authorities committed to investing 144.8 billion naira (about $314.5 million at the time) over a certain period to finance this initiative. In 2023, they announced that 15 billion naira (about $24 million at the time) had been earmarked to pilot the initiative in 18 high-risk states and 48 schools. However, details of the implementation are sparse, and it remains unclear the extent to which this has been done.
Okenyodo told Human Rights Watch that the government needs to involve communities in designing and implementing initiatives to make schools safer to create a sense of ownership and reduce inefficiency and corruption.
“Now more than ever, the Nigerian authorities should step up efforts to make learning safe for children,” Ewang said. “They should work with communities to adopt rights-respecting measures and put in place adequate financing, systems, and structures to ensure quick, effective, and transparent implementation to ensure that children can learn without being exposed to grave harm.”
Nigeria: 10 Years after Chibok, Schoolchildren Still at Risk – HRW
Abduction of Fulani woman, Aisha Goma heightens fear of attacks in Kaduna community
By: Zagazola Makama
The abduction of a married Fulani woman, Aisha Goma, in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State has sparked fresh fear and anxiety among residents of the area.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the victim was abducted from her home at about 11:00 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 17, while her husband was away.
According to the sources, the attackers, suspected to be armed bandits, besieged the residence and forcefully took the woman to an unknown location.
The sources said that the assailants are believed to be former members of the Kamilu group, who have been operating around the axis in the past,” a source said.
The sources added that as of the time of filing this report, no contact had been made by the abductors and no ransom demand had been communicated to the family.
Zagazola reports that the incident has heightened tension in the area, with many residents expressing fear over a surge in abductions targeting members of the Fulani community in recent weeks.
“For more than a week now, people have been living in fear. Families are moving out in large numbers, especially those living around the Olam Company axis,” another community source said.
According to him, some residents have relocated to safer parts of Soba Local Government Area, while others have fled to villages in neighbouring Kwara State to escape the growing insecurity.
Abduction of Fulani woman, Aisha Goma heightens fear of attacks in Kaduna community
Gunmen retaliate after rustling of 102 cows, kill one, injure two in Barkin Ladi in Plateau
By: Zagazola Makama
One person was killed and two others injured when gunmen attacked Kasuwa Denkeli village in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State in the early hours of Saturday, in a retaliatory strike linked to the recent rustling of 102 cows in neighbouring Riyom LGA.
The attack, which occurred at about 2:30 a.m., came days after armed men drove away 102 cows from Dan Sokoto, Ganawuri District of Riyom LGA, heightening tensions across the Barkin Ladi–Riyom–Jos South axis.
Residents of Kasuwa Denkeli told Zagazola Makama that the assailants stormed the community and opened fire on houses, leaving one person dead on the spot and two others with gunshot injuries. The injured were evacuated to the Jos University Teaching Hospital for medical attention, while the body of the deceased was deposited at the General Hospital morgue in Barkin Ladi for autopsy.
Police sources who confirmed the incident said “On receipt of a distress call, a team led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Barkin Medical immediately moved to the scene.
He added that the two injured victims were rushed to the Jos University Teaching Hospital for medical attention, while the corpse of the deceased was deposited at the General Hospital morgue in Barkin Ladi for autopsy.
According to the police , investigation into the incident has commenced, and efforts are ongoing to track down and arrest the perpetrators, while they urged residents to remain calm and continue to cooperate with security agencies by providing timely and useful information that could lead to the arrest of those responsible.
Zagazola report that Saturday’s incident is the latest in a chain of incidents that began on Wednesday, Jan. 14, when no fewer than 102 cows were rustled at about 11:00 a.m. in Dan Sokoto, Ganawuri District of Riyom LGA. Local sources said the attackers, identified by witnesses as Berom militia from the Vom District in Jos South LGA, stormed the area and drove away the cattle at gunpoint.
The cattle reportedly belong to Alhaji Nalado of Gargari, around Tashan Nashanan, and Malam Ango of Sabon Kaura, around Kudadu, both in Jos East LGA, although the animals were taken from Ganawuri in Riyom LGA.
Witnesses said the attackers were heavily armed, forcing herders to flee for their lives. As of the time of this report, none of the cattle had been recovered, despite security alerts. Residents also alleged that areas such as Vwang in Jos South and parts of Fan District in Barkin Ladi LGA are increasingly seen as “no-go” zones where rustled cattle are kept, complicating recovery efforts.
The Ganawuri rustling was not an isolated incident. It followed a series of attacks on livestock across Plateau State this month. At least seven cows were poisoned in Kwi village in Riyom LGA, while three others were shot dead around Kuru Gadabiyu in Barkin Ladi LGA near the Bicichi axis. Each incidents had deepens mistrust and raises the risk of reprisals in flashpoints already on edge.
The pattern of escalation has been consistent. On Jan. 6, coordinated attacks on Jol community in Riyom LGA and Gero in Gyel District of Jos South LGA left three people dead. The violence followed the shooting of two Fulani youths earlier that day in Jos South, one of whom later died. Witnesses described the ambush as unprovoked, triggering swift retaliation and counter-retaliation.
December 2025 also saw a surge in incidents. On Dec. 12, more than 130 cattle were reportedly rustled in Nding community. Around the same period, livestock poisoning was recorded in parts of Jos East and Riyom LGAs. These were followed by deadly clashes, including the killing of four children in Dorong village, Barkin Ladi LGA, and attacks on Gero village that resulted in deaths, injuries and loss of livestock.
On Dec. 16, 2025, an attack on an illegal mining site in Tosho community, Barkin Ladi LGA, left 12 miners dead and others abducted, with security sources linking the violence to earlier rustling of 171 castles belonging to the Fulani. In Plateau State, attacks on livestock often act as a spark that ignites wider communal violence.
For pastoral families, cattle are not just animals; they are livelihoods, savings and identity. When herds are stolen, poisoned or shot, families are pushed into desperation. Emotions escalate quickly, and reprisals follow.
Zagazola has repeatedly warned that unless attacks in across Barkin Ladi, Riyom and Jos South LGAs, on both lives and livelihoods are addressed impartially, the state risks remaining trapped in a cycle where each attacks becomes justification for the next
Gunmen retaliate after rustling of 102 cows, kill one, injure two in Barkin Ladi in Plateau
Nigeria Condoles Southern African Nations Hit by Deadly Floods
By: Michael Mike
The Federal Government has expressed deep sympathy with South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe following devastating floods that have killed over one hundred people and displaced thousands across parts of Southern Africa.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the Nigerian government described the disaster as heartbreaking and extended condolences to the affected governments and their citizens.
The statement noted that weeks of heavy rainfall had caused rivers to overflow, destroyed critical infrastructure such as roads and bridges, and disrupted farming activities and essential services.
It also highlighted concerns about secondary humanitarian crises, including hunger, possible disease outbreaks, and increased risks to vulnerable groups such as women, children, and the elderly.
Nigeria commended the efforts of national authorities, regional bodies, and international organisations currently engaged in rescue operations, relief distribution, and evacuation of affected communities. The government praised the resilience of the affected countries as they work toward recovery and rebuilding.
The Federal Government also warned that extreme weather events linked to climate change are becoming more frequent across Africa. It called for stronger regional collaboration, improved early-warning systems, and better climate adaptation measures to reduce future disaster risks.
Nigeria reaffirmed its readiness to cooperate with the affected nations through bilateral, regional, and multilateral channels to support disaster management, humanitarian assistance, and climate resilience initiatives.
It assured the governments and people of South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and other impacted countries that Nigeria stands in solidarity with them during this difficult period.
Nigeria Condoles Southern African Nations Hit by Deadly Floods
Abduction of Fulani woman, Aisha Goma heightens fear of attacks in Kaduna community
Gunmen kill 50-year-old man in Benue village as troops launch manhunt
Gunmen retaliate after rustling of 102 cows, kill one, injure two in Barkin Ladi in Plateau
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