Abuja Mother, Children Protest Rising School Abductions

By Margaret Abah

A mother and her three children staged a peaceful protest in the Maitama area of Abuja over the increasing cases of school abductions and concerns about the safety of pupils across the country.

The protest, which gained widespread attention after a video was shared by ARISE TV on X on Monday, showed the mother and her children dressed in school uniforms and holding placards demanding urgent action to rescue abducted pupils and secure schools.

In the video, the family stood along a roadside as the mother expressed the fears and anxieties many parents face amid the growing insecurity affecting schools.

“I am afraid of taking my children to school because of what is happening. I am scared it is not safe,” she said.

The woman appealed to the Federal Government and security agencies to take decisive steps to protect schoolchildren and ensure the safe return of pupils currently held captive by kidnappers.

The symbolic demonstration comes amid renewed concerns over school-related abductions, following the recent rescue of the sister of a former Minister of Power and her twin sons while travelling to school, as well as the continued captivity of pupils abducted in parts of Oyo and Borno states.

The protest sparked reactions on social media, with many Nigerians expressing sympathy and calling for stronger measures to tackle insecurity.

One X user, identified as RightKlick_G, described the protest as both heartbreaking and necessary, stating that no parent should have to fear whether their child will return home safely from school.

Another user, thepsalmistt, suggested a larger demonstration involving schoolchildren to draw government attention to the issue, while macofbillions posted the hashtag “#BringBackOurSchoolChildren” in support of efforts to secure the release of abducted pupils.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has reiterated his administration’s commitment to combating insecurity and securing the freedom of all persons held captive by terrorists and bandits.

As part of ongoing efforts, the President approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards in Oyo State to strengthen operations aimed at rescuing abducted pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area.

Several states, including Kebbi, Gombe, Kwara, Kaduna, Edo, Imo, Bayelsa and Anambra, have also trained and deployed forest guards as part of broader security measures supported by the Federal Government to safeguard communities and educational institutions.