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TIMELINE: At Least 334 Nigerian Students Kidnapped in One Year

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No fewer than 15 students have been reported missing following the mass abduction in the Gidan Bakuso area of Gada Local Government Area of Sokoto State. FIJ gathered from media reports that the aggressors invaded the community, shot one person and abducted the students from their school around 1:00 am on Saturday.

The incident happened barely 24 hours after reports of the abduction of about 100 primary school pupils and 187 secondary students in Kuriga, Chikun Local Government Area, Kaduna State. In both incidents, state actors described the aggressors as bandits.

However, these incidents are not the first mass abductions from Nigerian schools. Between January 2023 and the time of this report, FIJ found five different incidents of mass abduction on school premises across different states in northern Nigeria.

The two incidents in 2024 alone have, however, accounted for more than 80 percent of the victims of these mass abductions. Similarly, FIJ reported how about five pupils were kidnapped in a school bus in Ekiti in January.

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Here is a timeline of the three other incidents and the number of students kidnapped in each:

JANUARY 2023: 6 PUPILS ABDUCTED IN NASSARAWA
In January 2023, not less than six pupils were abducted from their school premises at the Local Government Education Authority Primary School, Alwaza, in the Doma Local Government Area. FIJ found reports from community sources stating that the six pupils were kidnapped by heavily armed men around 7:00 am on January 20, 2023.

On February 3, all six kidnapped pupils were reportedly rescued through the combined efforts of the police and vigilante forces. The children were between the ages of five and seven at the time of the incident. They were reportedly rescued unhurt.

APRIL 2023: TWO STUDENTS ABDUCTED IN ZAMFARA
Two undergraduate students, identified as Zaynab and Maryam, were abducted from their hostels opposite the main campus of the Federal University, Gusau, on April 2, 2023. FIJ found media reports stating that the criminals disarmed the security personnel guarding the hostel and escaped with the two victims.

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Most importantly, however, Zamfara has been a hotspot of kidnappings targeted at students and non-students alike. FIJ reported several attacks targeted at several hostels off the school premises in 2023.

SEPTEMBER 2023: 24 STUDENTS WERE KIDNAPPED IN ZAMFARA
Around 3:00 am on September 22, 2023, a group of armed men invaded three student hostels in Sabon Gida. A total of 24 students were reported to have been kidnapped in the incident.

FIJ reported a survivor’s account of this same incident, detailing how well-armed the kidnappers were and how they were rescued through a gun battle between the military and the criminals. Most poignantly, the survivor stated that the school authority and the security forces did not seem to care about the attacks.

Beyond these five incidents, there were other cases of student kidnappings in 2023 outside of the school premises. Notable among these incidents was the abduction of over 80 children in Zamfara State in April 2023; the kidnapping of eight students in Kaduna on April 8, 2023; the kidnapping of four children in Imo in May 2023; and the kidnapping of seven UNIJOS in June 2023.

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Bandits hold abducted Niger State medical doctor despite N20m ransom payment

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The medical doctor abducted in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, has remained in captivity for 33 days despite reports that his captors collected N20 million ransom.

Dr Tony Eghagagara, the Head of Medical Services at New Bussa General Hospital in Borgu, was kidnapped by suspected bandits on April 22, 2026, at his private clinic located on the outskirts of Wawa town.

Sources close to the family told Daily Trust that the kidnappers stopped communicating with relatives and colleagues after receiving the ransom payment.

A reliable source also disclosed that the abducted doctor was allegedly being forced to treat injured members of the terrorist group.

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The National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners (MAGGMDP) on Tuesday called on the Niger State Government and security agencies to intensify efforts towards securing his release.

In a statement issued after an emergency meeting, jointly signed by the association’s chairman, Dr Mustapha Mohammed Aliyu, and General Secretary, Dr Musa Alhaji Shehu, the group expressed concern over the prolonged captivity of their colleague.

“Thirty-three days in captivity, our member has yet to be released. The family of our member in captivity has not been provided adequate support by the government,” the association said.

The association also decried the inadequate security presence in healthcare facilities located in insecure areas despite repeated calls for improved protection of health workers.

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MAGGMDP urged the government to strengthen security around hospitals and clinics, especially in rural communities frequently targeted by armed groups.

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“They Arrived Around 9AM Wearing Military Uniforms, Moved the Children Like Cattle” — Elderly Oyo Resident Recounts Abduction of 46 People in School Attack

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An elderly resident of Oyo State has recounted the terrifying moment armed men reportedly stormed schools in Oriire Local Government Area near Ogbomoso and abducted dozens of pupils, students, and teachers.

The man, who spoke during an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, alleged that the attackers arrived around 9 a.m. wearing military camouflage, causing residents to initially mistake them for genuine security personnel.

According to him, the gunmen later invaded schools in the area and began shooting sporadically before taking away children and teachers.

Elderly Oyo Resident Recounts Abduction of 46 People in School Attack

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“They arrived around 9AM wearing Army uniforms. We thought they were soldiers, so nobody suspected anything. But when they got to the school junction, they entered the schools and started shooting everywhere,” he said.

The elderly man disclosed that his son’s wife, who teaches in one of the affected schools, was among those abducted during the attack.

He also identified the woman seen crying with a baby in a viral video circulating online as his daughter-in-law, lamenting that the victims had yet to regain freedom.

“My son’s wife is teaching in that school, they have taken her away. She is the woman crying in the circulating video carrying a baby. They have not released any of them till now,” he said emotionally.

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Narrating the chaos that followed the invasion, the resident said many children attempted to escape through windows but were overwhelmed by fear.

“Some children wanted to flee through the windows, but they didn’t have the strength. They packed the children, including nursery and primary school pupils, and moved them like cattle,” he recounted.

The attack reportedly occurred on Friday, May 15, 2026, when heavily armed gunmen riding motorcycles stormed several schools within the community.

Schools reportedly affected include Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele, and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School.

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Community leaders claimed that about 46 persons, including seven teachers and 39 pupils and students, were abducted during the incident.

However, the Oyo State Police Command had earlier stated that between 25 and 32 persons were still unaccounted for as security agencies continued rescue operations in the area.

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Police arrest four over Hajj fraud in Kebbi

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Kebbi Police Command has said that it has in her custody four suspects for defrauding intending pilgrims in the state.

SP Bashir Usman, spokesman of Kebbi State Police Command, in a statement said that following complaints from victims and Kebbi state pilgrims welfare agency arrested four persons for allegedly defrauding intending pilgrims and issuing them fake Hajj bags,fake and fake medical records.

He said suspicion began when the intending pilgrims names were not seen in the list of approved pilgrims but had in their possession hajj materials which investigations revealed they were fraudulently given by the suspects.

The statement further said that the prime suspect Aminu Hassan Zauro was arrested by the police with other suspect namely Tabiu Abubakar, Usman Attahiru, Mustapha Sani Zauro and one Bello jos who currently in custody and are being investigated.

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Bashir added that suspect Aminu Hassan Zauro defrauded the victim of 8,600.00 under the promise of securing two Hajj seats.

“The prime suspect Aminu Hassan Zauro has no connection whatsoever with Kebbi state pilgrims welfare agency but convinced with other suspects to defraud the unsuspecting intending pilgrims to the extent of giving them fake Hajj materials,” he said.

While other suspects are at large following the arrest of those in custody, CP Umar. M Hajia admonished members of the public to be wary of Hajj fraudsters and deal with the agency or approved agents.

He pledged to do justice in the matter to ensure those at large are brought to book, warning criminals to abandon their nefarious habits or be ready to face the Police.

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