By Mustapha Salisu
The International Human Rights Commission (IHRC-RFT), Nigeria Chapter, has expressed deep concern over the alarming increase in student abductions across the country, describing the trend as a coordinated assault on Nigeria’s future and a gross violation of human rights.
In a statement signed by its Country Director and Human Rights Advocate, Amb. Abdullahi Bakoji Adamu, the IHRC condemned the spate of school kidnappings, noting that within one week, three separate schools had been attacked, leaving many students unaccounted for. The organization warned that these incidents reflect a dangerous breakdown in national security and may be politically motivated.
“The recent abductions cannot be dismissed as mere coincidences,” the statement read. “Reports that security personnel were withdrawn from some schools shortly before the attacks—an issue even lamented by the Governor of Kebbi State—suggest a possible deliberate orchestration or security compromise.”
The IHRC described the situation as a grave violation of both international and domestic human rights laws, citing key provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). The group highlighted that the right to life, security, dignity, and education—guaranteed under Articles 3, 25, and 26 of the UDHR, and Sections 14, 33, 34, and 18 of the Nigerian Constitution—are being flagrantly breached.
“The government must be held fully accountable for every preventable attack that puts innocent children at risk,” IHRC stressed, emphasizing that “children must never be used as bargaining tools for political, economic, or religious gains.”
The Commission further warned that Nigeria may be witnessing a form of “security theatre,” where the boldness and frequency of the attacks point to insider facilitation, deliberate negligence, or even political manipulation.
Demands and Call to Action
The IHRC called for immediate and concrete measures, including:
- A coordinated national rescue operation led by the President, National Security Adviser, and Chief of Defence Staff to secure the release of all abducted children.
- An independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the security withdrawals and possible political motivations behind the attacks.
- Prosecution of all complicit actors, including any security or political figures found to have aided or benefitted from the abductions.
- Enhanced protection for schools nationwide, including the deployment of trained School Protection Security Units, installation of surveillance systems, and community-based intelligence networks.
The Commission warned that Nigeria is at a “critical tipping point,” insisting that the government must move beyond rhetoric and deliver decisive action.
“It is unacceptable that our children—our future—are being hunted like prey,” the statement concluded. “We demand action, not promises. We demand protection, not excuses. We demand the safe return of every child—NOW.”
The IHRC reaffirmed its solidarity with affected families and vowed to continue advocating for justice, transparency, and the protection of Nigeria’s children from the scourge of terrorism and political exploitation.