Nigeria is confronting a frightening escalation in mass abductions, as armed groups intensify coordinated attacks across multiple northern states, leaving at least 490 people kidnapped in just 13 days, according to incident reports and security sources.
The abductions – spanning Sokoto, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Borno, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) – targeted a wide spectrum of victims, including monarchs, worshippers, students, farmers, travellers, and entire communities.
Among the most shocking incidents were the kidnapping of 315 students in Niger State, the abduction of 30 women in Sokoto, the seizure of seven mourners in Abuja, and the capture of 24 farm workers during a raid in Niger state. While some captives have been rescued by security forces, many remain in the hands of their abductors.
Fresh attacks over the weekend compounded the crisis. A UN security brief confirmed that at least 25 residents were kidnapped in twin assaults on Unguwar Tsamiya and Dabawa villages in Kano – an alarming development in a state where such mass abductions are rare.
In Borno State, long battered by jihadist violence, nine onion farmers were seized by suspected terrorists, militia commander, Tijjani Ahmed reported.
The United Nations (UN) has warned of a “surge in mass abductions,” echoing concerns raised after a series of November attacks that saw some 400 people kidnapped, including more than 300 schoolchildren.
The scale of the crisis reflects a wider shift: between July 2024 and June 2025, Nigeria recorded 4,722 kidnappings in 997 incidents, with 762 deaths, according to security consultancy SBM Intelligence. The firm noted that kidnapping has evolved into a “structured, profit-seeking industry”, extracting at least ₦2.57 billion in ransom within the year.
The on-going violence has intensified scrutiny on Nigeria’s security architecture. While the U.S. government has criticised Abuja, alleging mass killings of Christians and threatening intervention, Nigerian officials and independent analysts reject that narrative, pointing instead to complex, multi-layered conflicts that cut across ethnic and religious lines.
With security forces stretched thin, the Nigerian Senate has renewed calls for strengthened community-based policing. Authorities are urging citizens to maintain vigilance and cooperate with intelligence-sharing efforts.
President Bola Tinubu, reacting to recent attacks – including the abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi and the killing of soldiers in Borno – said the incidents left him “depressed,” vowing that those who endanger Nigerians “will face the full weight of the State”.
