Nigeria’s Mass School Kidnapping Exposes Tinubu’s Deepening Security Struggles

By: NaijaEnquirer Staff

Families in Papiri, a community in northern Nigeria, had repeatedly appealed for security protection at the school where more than 300 pupils were abducted last week in one of the country’s worst mass kidnappings. Their calls went unanswered.

“Neither the police, nor the military nor the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps responded to our demands,” said Dauda Gwanja, whose 15-year-old son Zakariya was among those seized from St Mary’s School in Papiri village.

With no formal security present, villagers relied on volunteer guards. But when dozens of gunmen on motorbikes stormed the school on Friday morning, the unarmed guards fled, unable to resist the attackers.

The assault has intensified scrutiny on President Bola Tinubu’s security strategy, which is facing renewed pressure following U.S. President Donald Trump’s warnings about violence against Christians in Nigeria.

Tinubu’s Security Promises Under Fire

More than two years into Tinubu’s presidency, global rating agencies have praised his economic reforms, but insecurity persists across much of the country. Despite pledges to recruit more soldiers and police and improve equipment, armed groups continue to launch near-daily attacks.

In remote regions like Papiri—located 6 km from the nearest police outpost and four hours from the nearest major town—armed gangs frequently abduct schoolchildren for ransom. The only available police post manages minor crimes and lacks the capacity to respond to major threats.

Although jihadist attacks on civilians in the northeast appear to have decreased recently, insurgents have still managed to overrun military bases, kill soldiers, and seize weapons in multiple operations.

The kidnapping at St Mary’s School in Niger State—where 12 teachers were taken alongside the pupils—is among the worst mass abductions in Nigeria’s history, surpassing even the infamous Chibok attack of 2014.

Tinubu Redeploys Security Resources

The incident marks the third major kidnapping in northern Nigeria within days, following assaults on another school and a church.

Reacting to public outrage, Tinubu cancelled two international trips and directed security agencies to pursue the attackers aggressively.

On Sunday, he ordered the redeployment of tens of thousands of police officers assigned as escorts to high-profile individuals—politicians, corporate elites, and celebrities—back to core policing duties.

The president also approved the recruitment of 30,000 additional police officers to boost security in rural communities where bandits flourish due to weak state presence and widespread access to weapons.

However, the shutdown of nearly 50 schools across northern Nigeria highlights the government’s waning confidence in securing these areas quickly.

Quarter of Nigeria’s Police Guard VIPs

Agora Policy, a Nigerian think tank advocating police reforms, reports that more than 100,000 police officers—over a quarter of the entire force—are assigned to VIP protection.

Waziri Adio, Agora’s head, said the surge in attacks should push authorities to finally implement long-delayed structural reforms, including better pay, modern equipment, and professional training.

The current pay structure reflects deep morale issues. A low-ranking police officer earns about 80,000 naira ($55) monthly, while military privates take home 114,000 naira ($78.50). Allowances for frontline postings raise this to 200,000 naira, but soldiers frequently complain about delayed payments and prolonged deployments without rest.

Security analysts say that armed groups often enjoy tactical advantages—intimately familiar with tough terrain like dense forests where they hide hostages and stage attacks.

Intelligence Failures Deepen Crisis

Serious questions have been raised in Kebbi State after gunmen kidnapped 25 girls from a boarding school despite intelligence warnings about a possible attack.

Governor Nasir Idris said troops had been deployed but mysteriously withdrew in the early hours of November 17. Less than an hour later, gunmen invaded the school, killed the vice principal, and abducted the pupils.

“We ask the military authority to investigate and find out who gave that order (to withdraw troops),” Idris said.

Days earlier, a brigadier general in Borno State was captured and killed by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The officer had escaped an earlier ambush and was communicating his live location to his base, but insurgents intercepted and reached him first. Army sources fear that his location may have been leaked.

The military has yet to respond to inquiries about these troubling incidents.