Oyo School Abductions: When Going to School Becomes a Thing of Fear

By Goodness Matilda Omonkhomion

For many Nigerian children, going to school should be an opportunity to learn, grow and build a better future. Increasingly, however, it has become an act of courage. Across several parts of the country, the classroom is no longer seen only as a place of learning but also as a potential target for kidnappers and armed criminals.

This growing insecurity is not only disrupting education but also threatening the future of an entire generation.

The recent abduction of pupils, teachers and a school principal in Oyo State is another painful reminder that no part of the country can afford to treat school security lightly. Although security agencies eventually secured the release of the victims, the incident left parents, teachers and pupils traumatised. It also reinforced the fear that children are no longer guaranteed safety even within the walls of their schools.

Sadly, the Oyo incident is not an isolated case. In March 2024, more than 280 pupils and teachers were abducted from a school in Kuriga, Kaduna State, in one of the country’s largest school kidnappings in recent years. Although the victims were later rescued, the attack exposed the vulnerability of schools, especially those in rural communities with little or no security presence.

Similar attacks in states such as Niger, Zamfara and Kebbi have forced schools to shut down temporarily, interrupted academic activities and discouraged parents from sending their children to school.

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The consequences extend far beyond the immediate trauma of an abduction. Every attack weakens confidence in the education system. Parents begin to question whether sending their children to school is worth the risk. Teachers become reluctant to accept postings to vulnerable communities, while many pupils who survive such attacks struggle with fear and emotional distress long after the headlines disappear.

In communities already battling poverty and low school enrolment, insecurity further widens the gap in access to education.

Protecting schools, therefore, must become a national priority. While the Federal Government has introduced initiatives such as the Safe Schools Programme, more needs to be done to ensure that these policies translate into visible protection on the ground.

Intelligence gathering should be strengthened, security personnel should be deployed to vulnerable schools, and communities should be actively involved in identifying and reporting security threats before they escalate.

The Federal Government should also work more closely with state governments to strengthen local security structures. One proposal that deserves serious consideration is state policing, which many believe would enable faster and more effective responses to local security challenges.

While the debate over state police continues, some states have already established regional security outfits to complement conventional security agencies. In the South-West, the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun, has assisted in intelligence gathering and community-based security operations.

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Similarly, Enugu State recently launched the Distress Response Squad as part of broader efforts to improve local security and tackle criminal activities. Although these initiatives are not substitutes for the Nigeria Police Force, they demonstrate how locally driven security arrangements can complement federal efforts.

Ultimately, insecurity in schools is not merely a security challenge; it is an educational emergency. A nation where children are afraid to attend school risks undermining its own future.

Governments at all levels must treat the protection of schools as an urgent responsibility by investing in effective security measures, improving collaboration among security agencies and local communities, and ensuring that every child can learn in an environment free from fear. Only then can schools once again become places of hope rather than symbols of danger.