Summary
President Bola Tinubu has mandated an extensive security lockdown across the forests in Kwara State following a surge in kidnappings and terrorist activities in recent days.
He also instructed the Nigerian Air Force to intensify aerial surveillance deep inside the forests where suspected terrorists are believed to be operating.
This directive was revealed on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, through his X account.
According to him, the presidential order extends to the Kebbi and Niger axis, where several victims are still expected to be rescued.
He explained that the Air Force has been directed to maintain “24-hour air surveillance” in order to reinforce the efforts of ground troops already deployed.
Communities have also been urged to relay “timely information about strange movements and activities” to support the operations of security agencies.
The renewed security push follows recent attacks, including the invasion of St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools, Papiri, in Niger State, where more than 300 students and staff were seized in one of the country’s most alarming mass kidnappings in years.
Within the same week, 25 girls were abducted from the Government Comprehensive Girls Secondary School, Maga, in Danko Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, while 38 worshippers were taken from a church in Eruku, Kwara State.
Although at least 50 of the victims from St. Mary’s managed to escape, over 265 schoolchildren and teachers remain in captivity.
Nigeria’s first major mass abduction occurred in 2014 when Boko Haram kidnapped 276 girls from Chibok in Borno State. More than ten years later, over 90 of those girls are still unaccounted for.
The country continues to grapple with a severe security crisis driven by jihadist insurgency and violent “bandit” groups that raid rural communities, kill residents, and carry out large-scale kidnappings for ransom.
What You Should Know
This story highlights Nigeria’s escalating security emergency and President Tinubu’s intensified response to rising kidnappings across multiple northern states.
The nationwide concern follows coordinated attacks on schools and places of worship, echoing past mass abductions that continue to haunt the country.
The government’s new directives—focusing on surveillance, intelligence sharing, and military pressure—are aimed at preventing further tragedies while working toward the rescue of hundreds still held by armed groups.
