Nigeria: Authorities in Nigeria’s Niger state have announced that schools will begin reopening later this month, following a mass kidnapping in November that forced their closure amid heightened security concerns.
The state’s education ministry said public and private schools located in areas deemed safe will be allowed to resume classes from January 12. The decision was taken after security assessments and consultations with law enforcement agencies.
Schools across the state were shut after more than 250 students and staff were abducted from St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, one of the worst school kidnappings in Nigeria’s recent history. Officials later confirmed that all those taken were rescued just before Christmas, though details surrounding their release were not disclosed.
Not all schools will reopen immediately. The education ministry said institutions in areas considered unsafe will remain closed until further security reviews are completed. A list of schools cleared to resume operations is expected to be released soon.
For schools that reopen, authorities have ordered strict monitoring measures. All returning students must be registered, with records submitted to the ministry within a week. Local officials have also been directed to ensure a strong security presence in and around school premises to prevent further attacks.
Nigeria has struggled for years with violence linked to armed criminal groups, often referred to locally as bandits, who carry out kidnappings and killings across several regions. Attacks in the north-central part of the country, including Niger state, have increased in recent months, with schools and places of worship increasingly targeted.
The government has classified many of these groups as terrorists. While paying ransom is illegal under Nigerian law, reports suggest the practice remains widespread. Safety concerns were underscored just a day after the reopening announcement, when gunmen attacked the village of Kasuwan-Daji in Niger state. Police said at least 30 people were killed and several others kidnapped after armed men emerged from nearby forest areas, set fire to the local market, and looted shops.
Emergency officials said residents were rounded up and attacked, leaving the community in deep fear. Many villagers have since gone into hiding, too afraid to speak openly.
Since 2014, more than 1,500 children have been abducted from schools across Nigeria, beginning with the mass kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls in Chibok, an incident that drew global attention.
