Amnesty International has condemned the recent abduction of school children in parts of Nigeria, expressing deep concern over a growing wave of attacks targeting schools and communities across the country.
The organisation said it is alarmed by reports of coordinated abductions carried out by armed groups over the past week in both northern and southern Nigeria, calling on authorities to take immediate and decisive action.
The latest incidents occurred within days of each other. On May 13 and 14, 2026, 42 school children were abducted after armed groups attacked schools in Askira Uba and Chibok Local Government Areas of Borno State in the northeast.
On May 15, 2026, at least 40 school children were also reportedly abducted following an attack by armed men in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State in the southwest.
Amnesty International warned that repeated attacks on schools are forcing children out of education and deepening fear among communities, with many families now reluctant to send their children to school.
The organisation noted that many abducted children and teachers are often never released, while survivors of such incidents are left without adequate protection or support.
It also raised concerns that the threat of abduction is contributing to a broader crisis in education, particularly for girls, some of whom are reportedly being withdrawn from school and forced into early marriage as families attempt to protect them from attacks.
Amnesty further criticised what it described as a pattern of inadequate response from authorities, alleging that promises to investigate such incidents and bring perpetrators to justice are often not fulfilled.
The organisation argued that the failure to ensure the safety and security of students amounts to a violation of Nigeria’s human rights obligations under both the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
It urged the Nigerian authorities to prioritise the protection of school children, ensure swift rescue efforts for victims, and strengthen preventive security measures to stop further attacks on educational institutions.
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