The United Nations has voiced deep concern over the escalating wave of indiscriminate civilian abductions by armed bandits in Nigeria, describing the persistent attacks particularly on students as unacceptable.
During a briefing on December 22, 2025, UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric highlighted the detention of numerous young people by armed groups, stating: "We are very much concerned at the fact that so many other students, young people, young men, young women, continue to be detained by armed groups. And obviously, we’re continuing to see violence."
The comments come amid a series of high-profile school attacks, including the November 17 abduction of 25 girls from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State where a teacher was killed and the subsequent November 21 raid on St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Niger State, where over 300 students and teachers were seized.
While the Kebbi students were released after about a week, efforts continue to secure the safe return of those from Niger State.
A new report by SBM Intelligence, titled The Year Ahead at an Inflexion Point and released on December 19, 2025, shows the scale of the crisis. It documents at least 4,722 abductions across 997 incidents between July 2024 and June 2025, with no fewer than 762 people killed.
Kidnappers demanded an estimated N48 billion in ransoms but collected N2.57 billion (approximately $1.66 million) a figure only marginally higher in dollar terms than previous years due to naira depreciation.
The report describes kidnapping as having evolved into a structured, profit-driven industry, fueled by weak governance, vast unpoliced rural areas, and entrenched bandit networks, particularly in the Northwest region, which accounted for over 40% of incidents.
The UN has pledged ongoing collaboration with Nigerian authorities to address the insecurity, while domestic calls intensify for stronger measures against banditry, recently reclassified as terrorism by the government.
The crisis continues to instill widespread fear, displacing communities and disrupting education across affected regions.
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