Nothing less than 20 attacks on schools across the country, 1440 children, 17 teachers have been kidnapped since December 2020.
A special education report by TVC News which was monitored by FRESHPAGE.COM.NG revealed the statistics. Most of the kidnapped victims have regained freedom while some as still in captivity especially students of Federal Government College, Birni Yauri.
According to UNICEF, about 10.5million school children between the ages of 5-12 are not in schools in Nigeria.
One hundred fifty three (153) students of Bethel Baptist High School, Kaduna were among kidnapped victims recorded between December 2020 and August 2022.
In fact, the Head Boy of Baptist High School, Kaduna, Jabais Peters spent nothing less than 143 days in captivity. He was among the last set of students released after payment of ransom. The sad incident cost him entire one academic session.
The first kidnapping of school children happened in 2014 under administration of former president Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan when 276 girls of Government Secondary School, Chibok, were whisked away from the school.
Since then, attack on schools and kidnapping of students have become frequent occurrence across the country.
On December 11, 2020, daredevil gunmen kidnapped 303 students Government Senior Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State. Another 41 students were kidnapped by gunmeny on February 17, 2021 at Government Science College, Kagara, Niger State. The victims were released about 10 days later. Similarly, 279 school girls were kidnapped from Government Girls Science Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara State while on June 17, 2021 many students were abducted from Federal Government College, Birni Yauri, Kebbi State. Two weeks later, two of the students were released.
October 21, 2021, about 30 teachers and students regained freedom from captivity.
According to Security Risk Management and Intelligence Specialist, Kabir Adamu, said it’s sad abductors collected ransom before they release victims.
