It's been four days and still, there is no sign of the nearly 300 students kidnapped in Kaduna last week. The Nigerian army and police have been searching in the forests since Friday for the missing children, but still no whereabouts of the abducted children.
According to experts, the search in the forests of northwestern Nigeria could take weeks.
The mass kidnapping happened last Thursday, the first since July 2021.
"The security agencies and the state government are working tirelessly to ensure the freedom of all the abducted students and pupils. We are making progress," Muhammad Shehu Lawal, a spokesperson for Kaduna state governor was quoted by Reuters.
Kidnappings at schools in Nigeria are not something new. It was first carried out by jihadist group Boko Haram. Over 200 students were captured from a girl’s school in Chibok in Borno state. Though many were released, some girls have never been released.
In the latest incident, a group of armed men abducted 15 children from a school in Sokoto on Saturday. A few days before, around 200 people, mostly children and women were kidnapped in northeastern Borno state.
So far no group claimed responsibility for the recent abductions. Back in 2014, #BringBackOurGirls, a global social media campaign was launched after over 200 school girls were abducted by Islamic extremists from Borno's Chibok.
So far no group claimed responsibility for the recent abductions. Back in 2014, #BringBackOurGirls, a global social media campaign was launched after over 200 school girls were abducted by Islamic extremists from Borno's Chibok.
"My child didn't even eat breakfast before leaving. His mother fainted (upon hearing the news)," said Shehu Lawal, the father of a 13-year-old boy who is among those abducted.
According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, over 3,500 people have been abducted across Nigeria in the last year.
President Bola Tinubu assumed power after promising to tighten security and stop the kidnappings. However, the authorities seem powerless to stop them.
In some cases, the armed gangs sought ransom payments tearing apart poor families and communities.
"It has never been in this manner...We are crying, looking for help from the government and God, but it is the gunmen who will decide to bring the children back. God will help us," said Lawan Yaro, whose five grandchildren are among the abducted.
(With PTI inputs)