Obi Laments Rising School Kidnappings After 82 Pupils Abducted
Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has voiced strong concern over the persistent abduction and prolonged captivity of Nigerian schoolchildren, warning that the country’s inability to protect its youngest citizens reflects a national failure that has begun to define Nigeria’s standing in the global community.
His intervention follows a particularly devastating three day stretch in which at least 82 schoolchildren were abducted between May 13 and May 15, 2026, in coordinated attacks across two states.
According to reports, 42 pupils were seized on May 13 and 14 after armed groups stormed schools in the Askira Uba and Chibok local government areas of Borno State, a region long scarred by insurgent activity since the 2014 Chibok girls’ abduction that drew global attention to Nigeria’s worsening insecurity crisis. Two days later, on May 15, gunmen invaded communities in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, abducting 40 more schoolchildren and unleashing a wave of violence that left a trail of casualties.
During the Oyo attack, a mathematics teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was reportedly beheaded by the gunmen. A motorcyclist was also killed in the assault, while a security operative lost his life after running into improvised explosive devices planted by the abductors during initial rescue efforts. The use of IEDs marks a worrying tactical escalation by criminal groups operating in the South West, a region traditionally considered less exposed to such methods compared to the volatile North East and North West.
In a statement issued on Wednesday to mark the 2026 Children’s Day celebration, Obi said his heart remained heavy despite extending congratulations to Nigerian children.
“After congratulating Nigerian children as they celebrate their day today, my heart remains heavy and troubled, knowing that some Nigerian children have remained in captivity for years,” he said. “It is a shame that days, weeks, months, and even years have passed while our children continue to languish in kidnappers’ dens.”
The former Anambra State governor argued that the nation’s failure to shield children from criminal networks reflected poorly on its global image.
“A nation that cannot protect its children from criminals has little but shame to present to the global community,” he stated. “No parent can bear the shame of being unable to protect his or her children, yet here we are as a nation, moving on while our children continue to suffer in forests and captivity for years.”
Obi’s remarks come amid mounting domestic and international concern over the recurring targeting of schools. The Christian Association of Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to prioritise the protection of schools and children, while President Bola Tinubu has reportedly ordered stronger school protection measures in high risk areas following the latest wave of abductions.
Since the Chibok incident of April 2014, in which 276 schoolgirls were abducted, Nigeria has witnessed repeated mass kidnappings, including the Dapchi abduction of 2018, the Kankara incident of 2020, and several subsequent attacks across Kaduna, Niger, Zamfara, and Sokoto states. Reports from civil society organisations have over the years estimated that more than 1,500 students have been abducted from Nigerian schools in the past decade, with many still unaccounted for.
The latest abductions, occurring in two geopolitically distinct regions within 72 hours, underscore the spreading geography of school targeted attacks and the growing strain on Nigeria’s security architecture.