Fresh reactions to the wave of abductions across Nigeria have exposed growing anxiety over the country’s security failures, as opposition figures, international organisations and regional groups intensify pressure for urgent reforms and stronger government action.

The Federal Government, meanwhile, has assured Nigerians that coordinated intelligence-driven operations are underway to rescue abducted pupils and teachers, announcing intensified surveillance, specialised rescue deployments and the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards to tackle worsening insecurity across vulnerable communities.

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, yesterday warned that continued delay in establishing state police could plunge Nigeria into intractable ethnic conflicts.

The group said the worsening insecurity across various parts of the country could push citizens towards self-defence, insisting that the establishment of state police cannot wait for the 60-month gestation period reportedly proposed by the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu.

In a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Sola Ebiseni, Afenifere criticised what it described as the Federal Government’s fire-brigade approach to security deployment, warning that vast ungoverned spaces have been left vulnerable to terrorist infiltration and cross-border criminal networks.

According to Ebiseni, Nigeria has become a deliberate target of international terrorism driven by what he described as an undisguised territorial agenda.

The group also urged Nigerians to treat the current insecurity as a national challenge that requires collective action, rather than allowing it to become a tool for political gain.

“For the avoidance of doubt, it is no longer acceptable for the people who voluntarily consented to being part of the Nigerian state in the hope that they would be better protected by the created leviathan to now be permanently subjected to terror and apprehension by their supposed compatriots acting in criminal collaboration with foreign elements,” the statement read.

“The unnecessary vacuum being created by the intolerable delay in establishing state police may soon be filled by intractable ethnic conflicts arising from the natural instinct for self and communal protection if urgent action is not taken.”

Afenifere further advised political actors against politicising insecurity, stressing that the crisis should be addressed with the same collective resolve Nigerians adopted in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

PRP asks Tinubu to resign over worsening insecurity

For its part, the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) called on President Bola Tinubu to resign over what it described as the Federal Government’s failure to guarantee the safety and security of Nigerians.

Chairman of the party, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, made the call in a statement issued yesterday, saying it had become clear that the President had failed in what he described as his foremost constitutional responsibility of protecting citizens from violent crime and insecurity.

According to him, insecurity has worsened across the country under Tinubu’s administration, with Nigerians from different walks of life increasingly becoming victims of criminal attacks.

The PRP chairman argued that threats to national security had expanded rather than diminished, stressing that no part of the country could now be considered safe.

“Schoolchildren have joined the long list of soft targets, and the nation appears to be at the point of accepting this situation as normal. We must not surrender to weak leadership and the activities of criminals,” he said.

“This is not how Nigerians should live. Our President has failed the nation, and there is no evidence that he can improve on his poor record. He has concentrated enormous power around himself, yet he has failed to use it to protect and defend Nigerians.

“In most democracies, President Tinubu’s failure to uphold the values of accountability and responsibility would not have been tolerated. Nigerians must rise to demand an end to this ineptitude and indifference. President Tinubu should resign now.”

UN seeks immediate release of abducted schoolchildren, teachers

Also, the United Nations (UN) expressed deep concern over the recent abductions of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo and Borno states, calling for the immediate and safe release of all victims.

The organisation also urged Nigerian authorities to intensify efforts to secure schools nationwide.

Speaking in Abuja yesterday, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, condemned the attacks, which also resulted in the killing of two teachers, describing the incidents as a grave assault on children’s right to education and safety.

Fall said the continued captivity of the schoolchildren and their teachers was deeply troubling.

According to him, educational institutions must remain safe spaces for learning rather than becoming targets of violence and fear.

“The recent incidents underscore the urgent need to strengthen the protection of children, educators and learning environments,” he said.

The UN official acknowledged ongoing efforts by the Nigerian government and security agencies to address the situation but insisted that more must be done to secure the swift return of all abductees and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.

He emphasised that children should never become victims of armed conflict or criminal violence, noting that attacks on schools threaten not only lives but also the future of communities and national development.

Atiku seeks overhaul of Nigeria’s counterterrorism strategy

Similarly, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar called for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s counterterrorism framework, saying the Federal Government’s current approach is failing to keep pace with evolving security threats.

In a statement issued yesterday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) said the spread of terrorism, banditry and kidnapping beyond northern Nigeria shows that the country’s security architecture requires urgent reforms.

According to Atiku, terrorists have continued to adapt their methods while government responses remain largely unchanged.

“The terrorists are learning from every attack. They study their successes and failures. They refine their tactics. They identify vulnerabilities. They adapt and strike again,” the statement said.

“From Chibok to Oyo, from countless villages in the North-West to communities across the Middle Belt and beyond, the pattern has become tragically familiar. An attack occurs. The nation mourns. Promises are made. Committees are announced.”

He said the expansion of banditry, terrorism and kidnapping across different parts of the country demonstrates that the current counterterrorism framework is no longer adequate for the scale and complexity of the security challenge facing the nation.

Atiku also criticised what he described as the Federal Government’s failure to systematically learn from past attacks and apply those lessons to prevent future incidents.

“It is now imperative that the Federal Government immediately initiates a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s national counterterrorism policy,” he said.

“The battle against terrorism cannot be won solely through military deployments. While kinetic operations remain necessary, the government must aggressively target the financial lifelines of terrorist groups.

“We must identify and dismantle the networks that fund, equip, transport and shelter these criminal elements.”

He further stressed the need for intelligence-driven operations, noting that successful counterterrorism campaigns worldwide rely heavily on intelligence superiority.

“Nigeria must therefore invest massively in intelligence gathering, surveillance technology, aerial monitoring systems, communication interception capabilities and data-driven threat analysis,” he added.

FG assures Nigerians of safe rescue of abducted pupils, teachers

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has assured Nigerians that ongoing security operations will lead to the safe rescue of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in recent attacks across parts of the country, insisting that coordinated, intelligence-driven efforts are already yielding results.

The assurance was given yesterday at a national security briefing in Abuja, where the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the government remains fully committed to ending attacks on schools and communities and ensuring that no victim remains in captivity.

The briefing comes amid renewed public concern following recent abductions in Oyo State and a terrorist attack on a school in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, where dozens of children were reported missing. The incidents have heightened anxiety over insecurity in parts of the country.

Idris described the latest wave of attacks as deeply troubling but insisted that security agencies were actively tracking those responsible.

“The safe return of every child and every teacher currently in captivity remains a top national priority. No Nigerian child should be in captivity, and every available lawful instrument of the state is being deployed to ensure their rescue,” Idris said.

He added that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had directed security agencies to intensify operations, including the deployment of specialised rescue teams and the strengthening of surveillance in vulnerable forest corridors.

The Minister also disclosed that 1,000 forest guards would be recruited to support security operations in high-risk communities, particularly in areas increasingly used as hideouts by criminal groups.

According to him, multiple security and intelligence agencies, including the Armed Forces, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Police Force, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the National Counter Terrorism Centre, are jointly coordinating rescue missions and intelligence gathering.

“We are not relenting. Intelligence operations, aerial surveillance and search-and-rescue missions are ongoing across affected areas. Operational details cannot be disclosed, but Nigerians can be assured that progress is being made,” he reiterated.

He noted that the administration’s response to insecurity extends beyond military action, stressing the importance of intelligence-led policing, technology deployment and structural reforms, including the planned introduction of state policing.

“We are dealing with a complex and evolving security challenge,” he said. “We have adopted a comprehensive strategy that combines force, intelligence, cooperation and long-term reforms to ensure lasting peace.”

The Federal Government urged citizens to remain calm, vigilant and supportive of security agencies by providing credible information, while warning against misinformation that could aid criminal groups.

Idris also cautioned against narratives that could embolden terrorists, saying insecurity must be confronted collectively by all Nigerians.

“Terrorism has no tribe, no religion and no political affiliation. Its only objective is destruction,” he said. “We must deny them the fear and division they seek to create.”

He assured families of abducted victims that government efforts remain ongoing and unwavering.

Fielding questions from journalists, security chiefs at the briefing insisted that Nigeria possesses the capacity and coordination required to defeat terrorist groups and rescue abducted victims.

A senior military spokesperson, Brigadier General Samaila Uba, said recent attacks should not be seen as a sign of weakness but rather as evidence of the pressure being mounted on insurgents.

“We have gone to every nook and cranny where these terrorists are located, destroyed their logistics hubs, bases and camps. Many of them are fleeing to other areas that previously had no insecurity issues,” he said.

He added that the armed forces would continue to pursue criminals wherever they operate, warning that “anyone who takes up arms against Nigeria will be tracked and neutralised”.

Also speaking, Director of Legal Services at the Office of the National Security Adviser, Zakari Mijinyawa, said hostage rescue operations require careful planning rather than rushed interventions driven by public pressure.

He explained that security agencies must prioritise the safety of victims in all operations.

Security tightened at Presidential Villa over planned protest

Also, security was heightened at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday amid concerns over a planned protest by activists and concerned citizens demanding the rescue of schoolchildren abducted in Oyo State.

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force and the military mounted extensive security checks at all entry and exit points leading to the Presidential Villa, subjecting vehicles and visitors to rigorous screening.

The tightened security followed an ultimatum issued by human rights activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, who threatened to lead a march to the Presidential Villa if the abducted pupils and teachers were not rescued by Thursday.

At the Villa, State House personnel were required to present valid identification before gaining access, while security operatives established multiple checkpoints along major approach routes, including the Asokoro and Federal Secretariat corridors.

Although officials did not provide any formal explanation for the unusual security presence, sources linked the development to concerns over a possible demonstration at the Presidency.

The enhanced security measures caused traffic disruptions in parts of the Federal Capital Territory, as commuters experienced delays along routes leading to the Presidential Villa.

SERAP urges Tinubu to probe alleged diversion of N145b Safe Schools funds

This came as the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) called on President Bola Tinubu to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, alongside relevant anti-corruption agencies, to investigate allegations that the N145 billion Safe Schools Initiative funds may have been mismanaged, diverted or are missing.

In a statement issued by its Deputy Director, Oluwadare Kolawole, SERAP expressed concern that more than 600 pupils and teachers were reportedly abducted in school-related attacks across Nigeria between March 2024 and May 2026, despite the substantial allocation to the Safe Schools Initiative.

The organisation said anyone found responsible for the alleged diversion or mismanagement of the funds should be prosecuted, while any missing funds should be recovered.

SERAP noted that the recent abduction of dozens of students and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State highlights the continued vulnerability of educational institutions to criminal attacks despite billions of naira reportedly earmarked for school security.

The organisation also urged President Tinubu and the Oyo State Government to ensure the immediate and safe release of the abducted students and teachers, stressing that the perpetrators must be arrested and prosecuted. It added that victims and their families should be granted access to justice and effective remedies.

According to SERAP, the reported incidents raise serious concerns about the effectiveness, transparency and accountability of the Safe Schools Initiative. It called for an urgent, independent and thorough investigation into allegations surrounding the management of the funds, with the findings made public.

The organisation warned that corruption in education security endangers lives, undermines the right to education, and disproportionately affects poor and vulnerable communities.

SERAP further argued that Nigerian authorities have constitutional and international obligations to protect children from abduction, violence and other human rights abuses. It cited Sections 14(2)(b) and 33 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which guarantee the security, welfare, life and dignity of citizens and require governments to promote access to education.

The rights group warned that it would institute legal action if the recommended measures are not immediately implemented.

Family of Adelabu’s abducted sister, twin sons, yet to hear from kidnappers

Elatedly, the gunmen who abducted the sister of a former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, alongside her twin sons in Ibadan, Oyo State, have yet to establish contact or make any demand, according to an aide to the family.

Femi Awogboro, an aide to the former Minister and 2027 Oyo State governorship aspirant, said the family remains distressed as no communication has been received from the abductors since the incident.

Awogboro said security agencies had intensified efforts to secure the safe release of the victims, adding that the family remains hopeful of a positive outcome despite the silence from the kidnappers.

He explained that the victims, Mrs Olayide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul, 43, and her 12-year-old twin sons, Peter and Paul, were abducted by armed men while on their way to drop the children at school in Ibadan.

“The family has not heard anything from the abductors since yesterday. No contact or demand has been made so far,” Awogboro said.

He noted that security agencies are working to trace the victims’ whereabouts and ensure their safe return, while urging residents to remain calm and vigilant.

Awogboro appealed for sustained efforts from security operatives, expressing confidence that the victims would be rescued unharmed. (The Guardian)

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