President Bola Tinubu has directed a full 24-hour aerial patrol over major forest belts in Kwara, Kebbi and Niger states after a fresh wave of kidnappings and violent raids unsettled several communities in the region.
The order followed another attack on Isapa in Kwara State on Monday evening, where more than 20 residents, including a pregnant woman, nursing mothers and young children, were taken away by armed men.
The development has deepened concerns over the expanding reach of kidnappers operating from remote forests, as families, clerics, teachers and traditional leaders continue to raise the alarm over rising attacks across north-central states.
According to the President’s media aide, Sunday Dare, the Nigerian Air Force has been instructed to keep aircraft over the targeted forests throughout the day and night, with pilots maintaining constant communication with ground troops. Dare said the directive covers “all axis where joint operations are ongoing to support the rescue of kidnapped victims.”
Communities were asked to share timely information on suspicious movements to help security operatives track criminal groups hiding in the forests. The Presidency said the growing boldness of the kidnappers called for an immediate escalation of surveillance and response operations.
Fresh Abduction in Kwara Community
Tension rose again in Kwara on Monday when armed men stormed Isapa, a community roughly five kilometres from Eruku, where worshippers were killed during a church attack last week. Residents said the attackers moved into the town around 7 pm, firing shots into the air and driving a large herd of cattle through the area.
An elderly woman was reportedly hit by a stray bullet. Multiple families were taken away, including a pregnant woman and several children. The victims were named as Talatu Kabiru, Magaji, Kande, Hadiza, Mariam, Saima, Habibat, Fatima Yusufu, Sarah Sunday, Lami Fidelis and Haja Na Allah.
A local leader said the gunmen appeared to be searching for a businessman previously kidnapped from the community and released after a reported payment of twenty million naira. When they did not find him at home, they seized everyone present, including the aged and the children.
The state police commissioner, Ojo Adekimi, confirmed the incident, noting that a detailed report was being compiled by the command’s spokesperson.
In response, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq set up a high-level security committee led by the deputy governor to propose short- and long-term measures to curb attacks. The committee is expected to consult traditional rulers and stakeholders across the three senatorial districts and submit its report within four weeks.
Kebbi Receives Freed Schoolgirls
In Kebbi State, Governor Nasir Idris formally received twenty-five schoolgirls abducted from Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga. He said the girls were rescued without the payment of ransom, explaining that security agencies acted on the instructions of the President.
“No kobo was paid. The military, DSS and other security forces combed the forest and rescued them unhurt,” the governor said.
He thanked the security agencies and commended President Tinubu for sustaining pressure on the kidnappers.
The President also welcomed the girls’ release. In a statement issued through his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, he said: “I am relieved that all the twenty-four girls have been accounted for. Now, we must put as a matter of urgency more boots on the ground in the vulnerable areas to avert further incidents of kidnapping.”
Rising Attacks in Nasarawa
Communities in Nasarawa State reported another round of violence on Monday when armed herders allegedly attacked Agboda in the Mararaba Udege area. A young man heading to a church crusade was struck on the head with a machete, forcing worshippers to scatter.
The cleric coordinating the crusade, Dr Daniel Ukpo, said the area had suffered repeated attacks. “One of the youths in the community was attacked with machete while on his motorcycle. When the news got to the village, confusion set in and people started running for safety,” he said.
A traditional leader in Ochimi also complained of persistent raids, crop destruction and killings by armed herders. Residents said security presence remained thin despite the number of attacks recorded in the area.
Parents Beg for Children Kidnapped in Niger State
In Niger State, families of children abducted from St Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, pleaded with the government to intervene as more than 265 pupils and teachers remained in captivity. Over 300 children were initially taken in the mass abduction. At least fifty managed to escape.
One of the parents, Michael Ibrahim, said his four-year-old son who “doesn’t even know how to talk” was among those taken. He explained that the boy suffers from asthma and expressed fear about his condition. “We don’t know the situation he is in. I appeal to the government to do all within its powers to see these children are back,” he said.
Another parent, Sunday Isiaka, said: “I need my child back. If I had the power to bring my child back, I would do it.”
Teachers Set for Possible Withdrawal if Attacks Continue
The Nigeria Union of Teachers warned that teachers may be pulled out of classrooms across the country if safety cannot be guaranteed. The union’s president, Audu Titus Amba, described the recent wave of attacks as a national emergency.
“These barbaric attacks are unacceptable. We call on the federal government to bring these attacks to an end to prevent the total collapse of the education system,” he said.
The union listed earlier mass kidnappings that have targeted schools in Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Zamfara and other states over the last decade, noting that the renewed assaults were crippling education in several regions.
The NUT faulted the slow implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration, insisting that schools in high-risk areas must receive urgent protection. It warned that if killings and abductions persist, teachers would be advised to stay away from classrooms.
UN Calls for Swift Action
The United Nations condemned the surge in kidnappings, urging Nigerian authorities to halt the attacks and prosecute those responsible.
“We are shocked at the recent surge in mass abductions in north-central Nigeria. We urge the Nigerian authorities to take all lawful measures to ensure such vile attacks are halted and to hold those responsible to account,” said UN rights office spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan.
Why Bandit Enclaves Are Not Being Bombed
The Presidency explained why security agencies are not carrying out airstrikes on bandit hideouts despite having intelligence on their locations. Onanuga said the presence of kidnapped victims in or around the enclaves makes air attacks risky.
“The security people know all the bandits that are operating in that axis. They know where they operate,” he said. But he added that civilians living nearby and abductees being kept as shields mean “you can’t just go there.”
He recalled an earlier incident in Borno where civilians were mistakenly struck due to incorrect targeting. “They must avoid that kind of mistake,” he said.
He also noted that the exact number of abducted students from Niger State remained unclear because the school and local authorities had not provided complete records. Onanuga said investigators found it unusual that key personnel were “not cooperating,” including a school principal who had reportedly gone missing.
How 38 Kwara Worshippers Were Freed
The Presidency said pressure from the DSS and the military secured the recent release of thirty-eight kidnapped worshippers from Eruku in Kwara State. Onanuga explained that real-time tracking and controlled communication allowed security operatives to maintain leverage without launching a risky raid.
“DSS and military operatives were deeply involved in the rescue,” he said. “They reached out to the kidnappers and demanded the release of the victims, and the bandits complied.”
He described the operation as deliberate and non-kinetic, aimed at avoiding casualties among the hostages.
