Nigerian Parents Turn Anguish to Anger Over Kidnapped Kids
Two weeks after gunmen seized more than 250 pupils and staff from St Mary’s Catholic boarding school in Papiri, Niger State, parents are pressing for answers as the government’s response appears painfully slow.
Sunday Gbazali, a farmer from the village of Borno, broke down while speaking on the phone: “We barely sleep, my wife keeps crying, and we do not know if our son is alive or even healthy,” he said, his voice shaking.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) confirmed that 303 children and 12 staff were abducted on 21 November. While fifty pupils escaped within hours, the whereabouts of the remaining children – some as young as six – remain unknown.
President Bola Tinubu, who declared a nationwide security emergency last week, has ordered the recruitment of thousands of additional army and police personnel. National security adviser Nuhu Ribadu told Catholic leaders in Kontagora that the children are “doing fine and will be back soon,” according to a CAN statement.
Nevertheless, families say no concrete information has emerged. Emmanuel Bala, chair of the school’s parent‑teacher association, lamented, “The government says it is taking action, but we have not received any update on our children.”
A civil servant from Niger State, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, expressed dwindling hope after a recent meeting with Ribadu, adding that days have passed without any rescue progress.
Confusion also clouds the tally of the abducted. State governor Mohammed Umar Bago suggested earlier that the numbers were exaggerated, prompting police to register missing children a week after the attack. Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun explained that the delay was to avoid premature conclusions, noting that documentation still lists 215 students as captive.
Activists from the BringBackOurGirls movement warned that the Papiri kidnapping is part of a broader, 11‑year cycle of terror. In an open letter to President Tinubu, they cited more than 1,800 schoolchildren kidnapped across Nigeria since the 2014 Chibok abductions.
Amnesty International warned that the ongoing insecurity threatens the education of millions, with nearly 20,500 schools closed in seven northern states after the attack. United Nations data shows Nigeria has roughly 20 million unschooled children, many fleeing school out of fear.
One of the escapees, 13‑year‑old Stephen Samuel, told Reuters, “Even if we are released, I am not sure life will ever be the same. Will we be able to go back to school?”
The ordeal has turned anguish into anger for parents, who continue to demand swift action and transparency as the nation watches and hopes for the safe return of its children.
Image Source: MYJOYONLINE
