Following the mass abduction at St Mary’s school in Niger State, thousands of schools across northern Nigeria remain shut. Parents fear for their children’s safety and academic future as closures persist and concerns grow about students being drawn into online crime. With no clear reopening date, families are struggling to keep learning on track at home.
Showing posts with label Violence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Violence. Show all posts
Friday, December 5, 2025
Video - Nigeria school closures leave families in uncertainty
Following the mass abduction at St Mary’s school in Niger State, thousands of schools across northern Nigeria remain shut. Parents fear for their children’s safety and academic future as closures persist and concerns grow about students being drawn into online crime. With no clear reopening date, families are struggling to keep learning on track at home.
Thursday, December 4, 2025
Video - Nigeria’s northern governors and leaders discuss worsening insecurity
US to restrict visas of Nigerians responsible for violence against Christians
The United States will restrict visas for Nigerians and their family members responsible for mass killings and violence against Christians, the U.S. State Department said Wednesday.
“The United States is taking decisive action in response to the mass killings and violence against Christians by radical Islamic terrorists, Fulani ethnic militias, and other violent actors in Nigeria and beyond,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement posted on social platform X.
The secretary added that the policy would apply to other governments or individuals engaged in violations of religious freedom.
The restrictions are in line with a new policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, he said.
Attacks in Nigeria have varying motives. There are religiously motivated ones targeting both Christians and Muslims, clashes between farmers and herders over dwindling resources, communal rivalries, secessionist groups, and ethnic clashes.
Nigeria’s population of about 220 million people is split almost equally between Christians and Muslims.
The West African country has long faced insecurity from various fronts including the Boko Haram extremist group, which seeks to establish its radical interpretation of Islamic law and has also targeted Muslims it deems not Muslim enough.
Also, there has been an uptick in the activities of armed gangs in the central part of the country who kidnap locals for ransom.
Last month, President Donald Trump said he has ordered the Pentagon to begin planning for potential military action in Nigeria following the claims of Christian persecution in Nigeria.
“The United States is taking decisive action in response to the mass killings and violence against Christians by radical Islamic terrorists, Fulani ethnic militias, and other violent actors in Nigeria and beyond,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement posted on social platform X.
The secretary added that the policy would apply to other governments or individuals engaged in violations of religious freedom.
The restrictions are in line with a new policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, he said.
Attacks in Nigeria have varying motives. There are religiously motivated ones targeting both Christians and Muslims, clashes between farmers and herders over dwindling resources, communal rivalries, secessionist groups, and ethnic clashes.
Nigeria’s population of about 220 million people is split almost equally between Christians and Muslims.
The West African country has long faced insecurity from various fronts including the Boko Haram extremist group, which seeks to establish its radical interpretation of Islamic law and has also targeted Muslims it deems not Muslim enough.
Also, there has been an uptick in the activities of armed gangs in the central part of the country who kidnap locals for ransom.
Last month, President Donald Trump said he has ordered the Pentagon to begin planning for potential military action in Nigeria following the claims of Christian persecution in Nigeria.
By Dyepkazah Shibayan, AP
Monday, December 1, 2025
Video - Nigerian parents register missing children after mass school abduction
Following the mass abduction of students in Nigeria’s Niger State, parents have gathered to register their missing children with local authorities. The attack, which occurred a week ago, is part of a broader surge in abductions by armed groups, prompting widespread school closures across northern Nigeria.
Video - Nigeria ramps up security recruitment as attacks surge
President Bola Tinubu ordered major recruitment across the military, police and intelligence services, including 20,000 new police officers. The move comes as Nigeria faces a spike in deadly attacks in the north. Some residents welcome the boost to security and jobs, while others fear outdated equipment and possible infiltration by armed groups.
Pastor and new bride abducted in latest Nigeria attacks
Gunmen have abducted at least 20 people, including a pastor and a new bride, in two separate attacks in the latest Nigerian kidnappings.
Attackers stormed the newly established Cherubim and Seraphim Church on Sunday in the central Kogi state, firing shots and forcing congregants to flee in panic. They seized the pastor, his wife and several worshippers.
In another raid the night before in the northern Sokoto state, a bride and her bridesmaids were among those kidnapped. A baby, the baby's mother and another woman were also taken, the AFP news agency reports.
Schools and places of worship have increasingly been targeted in the latest wave of attacks in north and central Nigeria.
It is not clear who is behind the kidnappings - most analysts believe they are carried out by criminal gangs seeking ransom payments, however a presidential spokesman has told the BBC they believe they are the work of jihadist groups.
Kogi state government spokesman Kingsley Fanwo confirmed the attack in Ejiba to the BBC but was unable to confirm the numbers.
He said authorities were working to track down the attackers.
"The security network, comprising the conventional security agencies and the local security architecture are currently doing what they should do," he told the BBC.
In the attack in the mostly Muslim Sokoto state, local media reported that the bride had been preparing for a wedding ceremony the following morning and she was seized alongside her friends and other guests who had gone to support her.
Some 250 schoolchildren and 12 teachers are still believed to be missing following the biggest such attack in recent weeks, while those seized in other raids have reportedly been released.
The spate of abductions has renewed concerns about the vulnerability of rural communities. It adds to pressure on the authorities to bolster protection for those at risk - schools, churches and isolated communities.
Paying ransoms has been outlawed in a bid to stop the lucrative kidnapping industry, however it is widely believed that such payments are still being made.
Nigeria's security crisis attracted the international spotlight last month after US President Donald Trump threatened to send over troops if the government "continues to allow the killing of Christians".
Nigerian officials and analysts say that members of all faiths are victims of the violence and kidnappings and say it is not true that Christians are being targeted.
By Chris Ewokor and Basillioh Rukanga, BBC
Attackers stormed the newly established Cherubim and Seraphim Church on Sunday in the central Kogi state, firing shots and forcing congregants to flee in panic. They seized the pastor, his wife and several worshippers.
In another raid the night before in the northern Sokoto state, a bride and her bridesmaids were among those kidnapped. A baby, the baby's mother and another woman were also taken, the AFP news agency reports.
Schools and places of worship have increasingly been targeted in the latest wave of attacks in north and central Nigeria.
It is not clear who is behind the kidnappings - most analysts believe they are carried out by criminal gangs seeking ransom payments, however a presidential spokesman has told the BBC they believe they are the work of jihadist groups.
Kogi state government spokesman Kingsley Fanwo confirmed the attack in Ejiba to the BBC but was unable to confirm the numbers.
He said authorities were working to track down the attackers.
"The security network, comprising the conventional security agencies and the local security architecture are currently doing what they should do," he told the BBC.
In the attack in the mostly Muslim Sokoto state, local media reported that the bride had been preparing for a wedding ceremony the following morning and she was seized alongside her friends and other guests who had gone to support her.
Some 250 schoolchildren and 12 teachers are still believed to be missing following the biggest such attack in recent weeks, while those seized in other raids have reportedly been released.
The spate of abductions has renewed concerns about the vulnerability of rural communities. It adds to pressure on the authorities to bolster protection for those at risk - schools, churches and isolated communities.
Paying ransoms has been outlawed in a bid to stop the lucrative kidnapping industry, however it is widely believed that such payments are still being made.
Nigeria's security crisis attracted the international spotlight last month after US President Donald Trump threatened to send over troops if the government "continues to allow the killing of Christians".
Nigerian officials and analysts say that members of all faiths are victims of the violence and kidnappings and say it is not true that Christians are being targeted.
Friday, November 28, 2025
The kidnap gangs, jihadists and separatists wreaking havoc in Nigeria
Nigeria is currently grappling with a spate of mass abductions. But the vast country - bigger than France and Germany combined - also faces many other security challenges.
Recent attempts by US President Donald Trump and his supporters to frame the insecurity purely as the persecution of Christians overlooks the complexity of Africa's most-populous nation.
There are more than 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria, which is roughly divided into a mainly Muslim north, a largely Christian south, with intermingling in the middle - and the government says people of all faiths have been victims of attacks.
There are criminal gangs in the north-west, an Islamist insurgency in the north-east, clashes over land in central regions and separatist unrest in the south-east - leaving the 400,000-strong army and the police force of 370,000 officers overstretched.
Here's a breakdown of the main armed groups and flashpoints:
Recent attempts by US President Donald Trump and his supporters to frame the insecurity purely as the persecution of Christians overlooks the complexity of Africa's most-populous nation.
There are more than 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria, which is roughly divided into a mainly Muslim north, a largely Christian south, with intermingling in the middle - and the government says people of all faiths have been victims of attacks.
There are criminal gangs in the north-west, an Islamist insurgency in the north-east, clashes over land in central regions and separatist unrest in the south-east - leaving the 400,000-strong army and the police force of 370,000 officers overstretched.
Here's a breakdown of the main armed groups and flashpoints:
'Bandits' - kidnap gangs
These criminal gangs, known locally as "bandits", are largely composed of people from the Fulani ethnic group, who traditionally make their living by raising animals. They have traded their pastoral tools for assault rifles, which have flooded Nigeria - and other states in the region - since Libya descended into anarchy following the overthrow in 2011 of long-time strongman Muammar Gadaffi by Nato-backed forces.
The gangs are not known to be motivated by any religious or political ideology, but see kidnapping people for ransom as a quick and easy way to make money rather than walking for miles with their livestock in search of water and grazing land.
They typically move in large numbers on motorcycles, which makes them highly mobile and allows them to strike quickly and escape before the security forces can respond - a tactic used during two recent school abductions.
There is no centrally organised leadership - each gang, often drawn from one family or a specific community, tends to be loyal to its own leader. The police have placed bounties on some of the notable leaders, including Ado Aleru and Bello Turji, and in 2022 the government designated the bandits as "terrorists" in a bid to stem their violence.
Aleru is from Yankuzo town - an area in the north-western state of Zamfara which has been a hub for bandit activity over the last three years.
The gangs, which sometimes fight one another, also travel to neighbouring states and central regions to carry out kidnappings. They also prey on their local communities and are indiscriminate in their ransom demands. In some areas, they tax residents.
Younger bandits, some in their teens, are increasingly taking to TikTok to show off their ransom money, guns and motorcycles - and have garnered thousands of followers.
These criminal gangs, known locally as "bandits", are largely composed of people from the Fulani ethnic group, who traditionally make their living by raising animals. They have traded their pastoral tools for assault rifles, which have flooded Nigeria - and other states in the region - since Libya descended into anarchy following the overthrow in 2011 of long-time strongman Muammar Gadaffi by Nato-backed forces.
The gangs are not known to be motivated by any religious or political ideology, but see kidnapping people for ransom as a quick and easy way to make money rather than walking for miles with their livestock in search of water and grazing land.
They typically move in large numbers on motorcycles, which makes them highly mobile and allows them to strike quickly and escape before the security forces can respond - a tactic used during two recent school abductions.
There is no centrally organised leadership - each gang, often drawn from one family or a specific community, tends to be loyal to its own leader. The police have placed bounties on some of the notable leaders, including Ado Aleru and Bello Turji, and in 2022 the government designated the bandits as "terrorists" in a bid to stem their violence.
Aleru is from Yankuzo town - an area in the north-western state of Zamfara which has been a hub for bandit activity over the last three years.
The gangs, which sometimes fight one another, also travel to neighbouring states and central regions to carry out kidnappings. They also prey on their local communities and are indiscriminate in their ransom demands. In some areas, they tax residents.
Younger bandits, some in their teens, are increasingly taking to TikTok to show off their ransom money, guns and motorcycles - and have garnered thousands of followers.
Boko Haram - jihadist group
This Islamist militant group became infamous around the world in 2014 for kidnapping more than 200 schoolgirls from the village of Chibok - around 90 of whom remain missing.
It evolved from a local Islamist sect founded in 2002 by Mohammed Yusuf in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri with the official name of Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad and a political goal of creating an Islamic state. Local residents dubbed it Boko Haram - a name which in the Hausa language loosely translates as "Western education is forbidden" because of their opposition to Western-style schools.
Its full-blown insurgency was triggered in 2009 by the killing of Yusuf who had been taken into police custody after Boko Haram clashed with the security forces.
At one point under its new leader, Abubakar Shekau, Boko Haram controlled large swathes of territory in Nigeria's north-east - and appointed "emirs" to administer some areas.
The Chibok girls were only a small fraction of the many thousands of women and children taken into captivity and forced into sexual slavery, domestic servitude or used as suicide bombers by the militants.
Boko Haram then split into rival factions. After the death of Shekau four years ago, its strength has diminished, however it still conducts regular attacks on both civilians and security forces.
Boko Haram has spawned a range of groups that use kidnapping to raise funds, focusing on soft targets such as schools, churches, mosques and remote villages where paved roads and bridges are either inadequate or absent.
This splinter group has moved away from the north-east, where Boko Haram and Iswap dominate, to carry out its operations.
It is believed to have participated in the 2022 attack on a high-speed train travelling between the capital, Abuja - in the centre of the country - and the city of Kaduna, about 200km (124 miles) north, in which at least seven people were killed and more than 100 commuters were abducted for ransom.
Its leader, Khalid al-Barnawi, was arrested in 2016 and is facing trial over several attacks, including the 2011 bombing of the UN building in Abuja. His trial is scheduled to resume in December 2025.
Mahmuda - suspected Boko Haram splinter group
Believed to be a breakaway faction of Boko Haram, it has set up in rural areas around Kainji Lake National Park in the west of the country since around 2020.
It is linked to the Islamic State group and has emphasised more moderate messaging in comparison to Boko Haram and proselytises in Hausa and other local languages to attract recruits.
The group has carried out targeted killings, often riding in on motorcycles and attacking markets, vigilante groups set up to protect villagers from bandits and local communities in the western state of Kwara. In April, its fighters killed several vigilantes and attacked a market there, killing Fulani men and others.
Their recent focus has shifted slightly north of Kwara - to Niger and Kebbi states - areas long plagued by bandit violence, where the two recent school abductions occurred.
By Chiagozie Nwonwu, BBC
This Islamist militant group became infamous around the world in 2014 for kidnapping more than 200 schoolgirls from the village of Chibok - around 90 of whom remain missing.
It evolved from a local Islamist sect founded in 2002 by Mohammed Yusuf in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri with the official name of Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad and a political goal of creating an Islamic state. Local residents dubbed it Boko Haram - a name which in the Hausa language loosely translates as "Western education is forbidden" because of their opposition to Western-style schools.
Its full-blown insurgency was triggered in 2009 by the killing of Yusuf who had been taken into police custody after Boko Haram clashed with the security forces.
At one point under its new leader, Abubakar Shekau, Boko Haram controlled large swathes of territory in Nigeria's north-east - and appointed "emirs" to administer some areas.
The Chibok girls were only a small fraction of the many thousands of women and children taken into captivity and forced into sexual slavery, domestic servitude or used as suicide bombers by the militants.
Boko Haram then split into rival factions. After the death of Shekau four years ago, its strength has diminished, however it still conducts regular attacks on both civilians and security forces.
Boko Haram has spawned a range of groups that use kidnapping to raise funds, focusing on soft targets such as schools, churches, mosques and remote villages where paved roads and bridges are either inadequate or absent.
Iswap - Boko Haram splinter group
Several Boko Haram commanders - including Abu Musab al-Barnawi, believed to be the son of Boko Haram founder Mohammed Yusuf - formed what became known as the Islamic State in West Africa Province (Iswap) in around 2016 as they felt Abubakar Shekau was violating Islamic doctrine by killing Muslims.
Boko Haram routinely targeted markets and mosques, often with suicide bombers. Iswap generally avoids attacking Muslim civilians and focuses on military and government targets.
Iswap is still locked in a violent turf war with Boko Haram, with reports of deadly clashes between the two groups around Lake Chad earlier this month. In fact, Shekau is said to have killed himself during a battle with Iswap, exploding a suicide vest.
It remains active and last week killed a Nigerian general, Brig Gen Musa Uba, after an ambush in Borno state.
Iswap commander Hussaini Ismaila was recently sentenced to 20 years in jail for multiple attacks in the northern city of Kano in 2012.
The north-eastern jihadist group was initially blamed for an attack on a Catholic church in the south-west of the country in June 2022 that killed at least 50 worshippers.
But prosecutors now believe it was a single cell linked to Somalia's al-Shabab jihadist group that was responsible. Five men are currently on trial for the attack and it is alleged they went to Somalia for training.
No group has said it was behind the two recent school kidnappings in the north-west of Nigeria in Kebbi and Niger states, but the government believes that Boko Haram and Iswap are behind them, presidential spokesman Sunday Dare told the BBC.
But it is a claim disputed by some experts.
"I don't think that's accurate. There is no Iswap or Boko Haram cell resident in the north-west. The recent kidnappings, including the mass abductions, were carried out by bandits," conflict analyst Bulama Bukarti told the BBC.
Several Boko Haram commanders - including Abu Musab al-Barnawi, believed to be the son of Boko Haram founder Mohammed Yusuf - formed what became known as the Islamic State in West Africa Province (Iswap) in around 2016 as they felt Abubakar Shekau was violating Islamic doctrine by killing Muslims.
Boko Haram routinely targeted markets and mosques, often with suicide bombers. Iswap generally avoids attacking Muslim civilians and focuses on military and government targets.
Iswap is still locked in a violent turf war with Boko Haram, with reports of deadly clashes between the two groups around Lake Chad earlier this month. In fact, Shekau is said to have killed himself during a battle with Iswap, exploding a suicide vest.
It remains active and last week killed a Nigerian general, Brig Gen Musa Uba, after an ambush in Borno state.
Iswap commander Hussaini Ismaila was recently sentenced to 20 years in jail for multiple attacks in the northern city of Kano in 2012.
The north-eastern jihadist group was initially blamed for an attack on a Catholic church in the south-west of the country in June 2022 that killed at least 50 worshippers.
But prosecutors now believe it was a single cell linked to Somalia's al-Shabab jihadist group that was responsible. Five men are currently on trial for the attack and it is alleged they went to Somalia for training.
No group has said it was behind the two recent school kidnappings in the north-west of Nigeria in Kebbi and Niger states, but the government believes that Boko Haram and Iswap are behind them, presidential spokesman Sunday Dare told the BBC.
But it is a claim disputed by some experts.
"I don't think that's accurate. There is no Iswap or Boko Haram cell resident in the north-west. The recent kidnappings, including the mass abductions, were carried out by bandits," conflict analyst Bulama Bukarti told the BBC.
Ansaru - Boko Haram splinter group
This splinter group has moved away from the north-east, where Boko Haram and Iswap dominate, to carry out its operations.
It is believed to have participated in the 2022 attack on a high-speed train travelling between the capital, Abuja - in the centre of the country - and the city of Kaduna, about 200km (124 miles) north, in which at least seven people were killed and more than 100 commuters were abducted for ransom.
Its leader, Khalid al-Barnawi, was arrested in 2016 and is facing trial over several attacks, including the 2011 bombing of the UN building in Abuja. His trial is scheduled to resume in December 2025.
Mahmuda - suspected Boko Haram splinter group
Believed to be a breakaway faction of Boko Haram, it has set up in rural areas around Kainji Lake National Park in the west of the country since around 2020.
It is linked to the Islamic State group and has emphasised more moderate messaging in comparison to Boko Haram and proselytises in Hausa and other local languages to attract recruits.
The group has carried out targeted killings, often riding in on motorcycles and attacking markets, vigilante groups set up to protect villagers from bandits and local communities in the western state of Kwara. In April, its fighters killed several vigilantes and attacked a market there, killing Fulani men and others.
Their recent focus has shifted slightly north of Kwara - to Niger and Kebbi states - areas long plagued by bandit violence, where the two recent school abductions occurred.
Lakurawa - jihadist group
A relatively new Islamist militant group, Lakurawa has been attacking communities in Sokoto and Kebbi states in the north-west and in Niger, the country which borders Nigeria to the north.
The authorities say it maintains ties with jihadist networks in Mali and Niger, and members have settled among border communities, marrying locally and recruiting young people.
Initially presenting itself as a protector against the bandits that roam the north-west, the group has gradually imposed harsh controls - such as checking villagers' phones for music, which is banned as it is considered un-Islamic, and flogging offenders.
It was declared a terrorist organisation in 2025 and accused of cattle rustling, kidnapping for ransom, hostage-taking and attacking top government officials.
A relatively new Islamist militant group, Lakurawa has been attacking communities in Sokoto and Kebbi states in the north-west and in Niger, the country which borders Nigeria to the north.
The authorities say it maintains ties with jihadist networks in Mali and Niger, and members have settled among border communities, marrying locally and recruiting young people.
Initially presenting itself as a protector against the bandits that roam the north-west, the group has gradually imposed harsh controls - such as checking villagers' phones for music, which is banned as it is considered un-Islamic, and flogging offenders.
It was declared a terrorist organisation in 2025 and accused of cattle rustling, kidnapping for ransom, hostage-taking and attacking top government officials.
JNIM - Sahel jihadist group
Active mainly in Mali and Burkina Faso, where it controls large areas, Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), may be making inroads into Nigeria.
A confirmed JNIM attack in northern Benin early in 2025 occurred close to the Nigerian border. In October 2025, the group claimed what would be its first attack inside Nigeria, in Kwara - the same state where more than 30 worshippers were abducted from a church last week and which has also seen increasing incursions by bandits.
If JNIM activities are confirmed, it would complicate an already dire situation in parts of the country where Ansaru, Lakurawa, Mahmuda and the bandits are all active.
Herders v farmers - battles over resources
This long-running conflict in central Nigeria - also known as the Middle Belt - has devastated communities, fuelling displacement and the spread of small arms as both herders and farmers arm themselves for what has become a deadly cycle of reprisal attacks.
It has been framed by some as a religious fight, but the central grievance is over grazing rights - access to land and water.
The herders are mainly Fulani Muslims, while the farmers are largely Christians from various ethnic communities, although some are Muslim. Fulani families traditionally walk for hundreds of kilometres from the extreme north to central Nigeria and beyond at least twice a year to find land for their prized cattle.
But urbanisation has seen encroachment onto these age-old grazing routes and locals accuse the Fulani of letting their cattle trample their crops and forcing them out of their homes and fields.
Notable clashes have taken place in Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue and Taraba states. In order to try and curb the violence, some state governments have imposed anti-open grazing laws and set up ranches for the herders - but have faced resistance from all sides.
One fallout from the conflict is the establishment of ethnic militias that, in some cases, have turned to criminality, plundering the people they ostensibly claim to be protecting. Ethnic Tiv militias in Benue have been accused carrying out mass killings and some of their leaders have been killed or arrested by the security forces.
Ipob - separatist group
The separatist violence in the south-east has its roots in calls for Biafran independence that date back nearly 60 years to the brutal civil war that led to the deaths of up to a million people.
That rebellion was crushed but demands for an independent state for the Igbo people of the region continued as some Igbos continue to feel that they are marginalised by the Nigerian state.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob), led by Nnamdi Kanu, is one of the groups promoting that call for secession. In 2009 Kanu launched Radio Biafra that broadcast separatist messages to Nigeria from London. Ipob was designated as terrorist organisation in 2017 - and three years later Kanu created an armed wing.
The Eastern Security Network (ESN), as it was called, and other splinter groups have since been implicated in arson, kidnappings and killings of civilians and security personnel in five states across the south-east. ESN has been in control of several towns in Imo and Anambra states where thousands were forced from their homes.
For years, the separatists, who have killed many prominent people in the south-east, have imposed a stay-at-home order on Mondays, causing much economic hardship.
Earlier this year, Simon Ekpa, leader of a breakaway faction of Ipob called Biafra Republic Government In Exile, was convicted in Finland of terrorism and other activities in Nigeria's south-east.
Last week, Kanu was convicted in Nigeria on terrorism-related charges and given a life sentence.
Ahead of the judgement, he had written to Trump urging the US to investigate "killings of Christians and Igbo people" and his group and others have been promoting the "Christian genocide" narrative in America, a BBC investigation into documents filed with the US justice department shows.
Active mainly in Mali and Burkina Faso, where it controls large areas, Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), may be making inroads into Nigeria.
A confirmed JNIM attack in northern Benin early in 2025 occurred close to the Nigerian border. In October 2025, the group claimed what would be its first attack inside Nigeria, in Kwara - the same state where more than 30 worshippers were abducted from a church last week and which has also seen increasing incursions by bandits.
If JNIM activities are confirmed, it would complicate an already dire situation in parts of the country where Ansaru, Lakurawa, Mahmuda and the bandits are all active.
Herders v farmers - battles over resources
This long-running conflict in central Nigeria - also known as the Middle Belt - has devastated communities, fuelling displacement and the spread of small arms as both herders and farmers arm themselves for what has become a deadly cycle of reprisal attacks.
It has been framed by some as a religious fight, but the central grievance is over grazing rights - access to land and water.
The herders are mainly Fulani Muslims, while the farmers are largely Christians from various ethnic communities, although some are Muslim. Fulani families traditionally walk for hundreds of kilometres from the extreme north to central Nigeria and beyond at least twice a year to find land for their prized cattle.
But urbanisation has seen encroachment onto these age-old grazing routes and locals accuse the Fulani of letting their cattle trample their crops and forcing them out of their homes and fields.
Notable clashes have taken place in Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue and Taraba states. In order to try and curb the violence, some state governments have imposed anti-open grazing laws and set up ranches for the herders - but have faced resistance from all sides.
One fallout from the conflict is the establishment of ethnic militias that, in some cases, have turned to criminality, plundering the people they ostensibly claim to be protecting. Ethnic Tiv militias in Benue have been accused carrying out mass killings and some of their leaders have been killed or arrested by the security forces.
Ipob - separatist group
The separatist violence in the south-east has its roots in calls for Biafran independence that date back nearly 60 years to the brutal civil war that led to the deaths of up to a million people.
That rebellion was crushed but demands for an independent state for the Igbo people of the region continued as some Igbos continue to feel that they are marginalised by the Nigerian state.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob), led by Nnamdi Kanu, is one of the groups promoting that call for secession. In 2009 Kanu launched Radio Biafra that broadcast separatist messages to Nigeria from London. Ipob was designated as terrorist organisation in 2017 - and three years later Kanu created an armed wing.
The Eastern Security Network (ESN), as it was called, and other splinter groups have since been implicated in arson, kidnappings and killings of civilians and security personnel in five states across the south-east. ESN has been in control of several towns in Imo and Anambra states where thousands were forced from their homes.
For years, the separatists, who have killed many prominent people in the south-east, have imposed a stay-at-home order on Mondays, causing much economic hardship.
Earlier this year, Simon Ekpa, leader of a breakaway faction of Ipob called Biafra Republic Government In Exile, was convicted in Finland of terrorism and other activities in Nigeria's south-east.
Last week, Kanu was convicted in Nigeria on terrorism-related charges and given a life sentence.
Ahead of the judgement, he had written to Trump urging the US to investigate "killings of Christians and Igbo people" and his group and others have been promoting the "Christian genocide" narrative in America, a BBC investigation into documents filed with the US justice department shows.
Thursday, November 27, 2025
Nigeria declares security emergency after wave of mass kidnappings
Tinubu said the police would hire 20,000 more officers, raising their strength to 50,000, and authorised the use of National Youth Service Corps camps as training centres. He also told the police to withdraw officers from VIP guard duties for redeployment to conflict zones after crash retraining.
He gave the Department of State Services approval to deploy trained forest guards and recruit more staff to flush out armed groups hiding in forests.
“This is a national emergency, and we are responding by deploying more boots on the ground, especially in security-challenged areas,” Tinubu said in a statement Wednesday, adding there would be “no more hiding places for agents of evil.”
The announcement follows recent attacks in Kebbi, Borno, Zamfara, Niger, Yobe and Kwara states, where dozens of civilians have been killed and kidnapped.
Over the last week, assailants kidnapped two dozen Muslim schoolgirls in Kebbi, 38 worshippers, 315 schoolchildren and teachers from a Catholic school in Niger state, 13 young women and girls walking near a farm, and another 10 women and children.
Tinubu commended security forces for rescuing 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi and 38 worshippers in Kwara. He vowed to free the 265 children and their teachers abducted from the St Mary's Catholic boarding school in Niger state last Friday after just 50 of them managed to escape.
He gave the Department of State Services approval to deploy trained forest guards and recruit more staff to flush out armed groups hiding in forests.
“This is a national emergency, and we are responding by deploying more boots on the ground, especially in security-challenged areas,” Tinubu said in a statement Wednesday, adding there would be “no more hiding places for agents of evil.”
The announcement follows recent attacks in Kebbi, Borno, Zamfara, Niger, Yobe and Kwara states, where dozens of civilians have been killed and kidnapped.
Over the last week, assailants kidnapped two dozen Muslim schoolgirls in Kebbi, 38 worshippers, 315 schoolchildren and teachers from a Catholic school in Niger state, 13 young women and girls walking near a farm, and another 10 women and children.
Tinubu commended security forces for rescuing 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi and 38 worshippers in Kwara. He vowed to free the 265 children and their teachers abducted from the St Mary's Catholic boarding school in Niger state last Friday after just 50 of them managed to escape.
Parents lack information
Several parents of the 303 kidnapped schoolchildren told the Associated Press that the government had given them no information about rescue efforts and said one parent had died of a heart attack from the stress.
“Nobody from the government has briefed us about the abduction,” said Emmanuel Ejeh, whose 12-year-old son was taken from the Catholic school in the remote region of Papiri.
A spokesperson for the presidency, Bayo Onanuga, did not directly address parents’ claims of being left without updates. Onanuga told the AP on Wednesday that the military is mounting pressure on the gunmen to release the children.
No armed group has claimed responsibility for the abduction.
For years, heavily armed criminal gangs have been intensifying attacks in rural areas of northwest and central Nigeria, where there is little state presence, killing thousands and conducting kidnappings for ransom.
The gangs have camps in a vast forest straddling several states including Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto, Kebbi and Niger from where they launch attacks.
US President Donald Trump has claimed the abductions reflect “Christian persecution” in the West African country, but both Christians and Muslims are targeted.
The UN's children's agency, Unicef, last year said just 37 percent of schools across 10 states in Nigeria's volatile north have early-warning systems to detect threats.
Several parents of the 303 kidnapped schoolchildren told the Associated Press that the government had given them no information about rescue efforts and said one parent had died of a heart attack from the stress.
“Nobody from the government has briefed us about the abduction,” said Emmanuel Ejeh, whose 12-year-old son was taken from the Catholic school in the remote region of Papiri.
A spokesperson for the presidency, Bayo Onanuga, did not directly address parents’ claims of being left without updates. Onanuga told the AP on Wednesday that the military is mounting pressure on the gunmen to release the children.
No armed group has claimed responsibility for the abduction.
For years, heavily armed criminal gangs have been intensifying attacks in rural areas of northwest and central Nigeria, where there is little state presence, killing thousands and conducting kidnappings for ransom.
The gangs have camps in a vast forest straddling several states including Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto, Kebbi and Niger from where they launch attacks.
US President Donald Trump has claimed the abductions reflect “Christian persecution” in the West African country, but both Christians and Muslims are targeted.
The UN's children's agency, Unicef, last year said just 37 percent of schools across 10 states in Nigeria's volatile north have early-warning systems to detect threats.
Monday, November 24, 2025
Fifty children escape after mass school abduction in Nigeria
Fifty of the 315 children kidnapped by gunmen from a Catholic school in Nigeria's Niger State on Friday have escaped.
The Christian Association of Nigeria says they have been reunited with their families. A major military-led search and rescue operation is under way for the remaining 265 children and 12 teachers who were taken with them.
Authorities in several Nigerian states ordered schools to shut following the mass abduction in Niger and another smaller hostage-taking in Kebbi state on Monday when 25 pupils were kidnapped from a boarding school.
In response to the spate of abductions, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has ordered the recruitment of an additional 30,000 police officers.
In another development, 38 people abducted from a church service in Kwara state last week were freed on Sunday, the state governor said.
Two people were killed in the attack on Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku.
Orders were given for many schools to close in the states of Kebbi, Niger, Katsina, Yobe and Kwara.
News of the children's escape brought welcome relief for families and for a country that has been agonising over the fate of hundreds of abducted schoolchildren.
However, there is still a lot of confusion and uncertainty in Papiri, the village in Niger state where the children were taken from.
Parents whose children are still missing told the BBC they feel abandoned. While they expected security officers to be deployed in the village in the wake of the attack on St Mary's School, this has not yet happened.
President Tinubu's office said on Sunday that all police in Very Important Persons (VIP) protection services had been redeployed to focus on core duties, especially in remote areas prone to attacks.
A report published earlier this month by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) said more than a quarter of Nigeria's estimated 371,000-strong police force - 100,000 - were "assigned to the protection of politicians and VIPs, rather than to tasks serving the general population".
VIPs in need of protection will now be able to request armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
According to a Christian group involved in the case, the pupils managed to escape between Friday and Saturday in what is being described as a brave and risky attempt to flee their captors.
The kidnapping of more than 300 schoolchildren surpasses the 276 abducted during the infamous Chibok mass abduction of 2014.
Local police say armed men stormed St Mary's at around 02:00 (01:00 GMT) on Friday.
Niger state governor Mohammed Umaru Bongo announced on Saturday that all schools in the area would close, warning that was "not a time for blame game".
Calling for the release of the abductees, Pope Leo XIV expressed "immense sadness" and urged the authorities to act swiftly.
Dominic Adamu, whose daughters attend the school but were not taken, told the BBC: "Everybody is weak... It took everybody by surprise."
One distressed woman tearfully told the BBC that her nieces, aged six and 13, had been kidnapped, adding: "I just want them to come home."
The military, police and local vigilantes are conducting a search for the children, combing nearby forests and remote routes believed to have been used by the gunmen.
Authorities in Niger state said St Mary's School had disregarded an order to close all boarding facilities following intelligence warnings of a heightened risk of attacks. The school has not commented on that allegation.
The kidnapping of people for ransom by criminal gangs, known locally as bandits, has become a major problem in many parts of Nigeria.
The payment of ransoms has been outlawed in an attempt to cut the supply of money to the criminal gangs, but it has had little effect.
On Monday, more than 20 schoolgirls, who the BBC has been told are Muslim, were kidnapped from a boarding school in Kebbi state.
And on Saturday, 14 young farmers in the mainly Muslim Borno state were abducted. One of the women has been rescued by the police.
The Nigerian president postponed foreign trips - including to last weekend's G20 summit in South Africa - in order to address the security concerns.
Last week's attacks follows claims by right-wing figures in the US, including President Donald Trump, that Christians are being persecuted in Nigeria.
For months, campaigners and politicians in Washington have been alleging that Islamist militants are systematically targeting Christians. The Nigerian government has dismissed this claim.
Earlier this month, Trump said he would send troops into Nigeria "guns a-blazing" if the African nation's government "continues to allow the killing of Christians".
The Nigerian government has called claims that Christians are being persecuted "a gross misrepresentation of reality".
An official said that "terrorists attack all who reject their murderous ideology - Muslims, Christians and those of no faith alike".
In the north-east, jihadist groups have been battling the state for more than a decade.
Organisations monitoring violence say most of the victims of these groups are Muslim because most attacks happen in the majority-Muslim north of the country.
In the centre of Nigeria, there are also frequently deadly attacks between herders - who are mostly Muslim - on farmers, who are largely Christian.
However, analysts say these are often motivated by competition for resources, such as water or land, rather than religion.
The militant Islamist group Boko Haram took 276 girls from their school in the town of Chibok in 2014.
The incident drew international attention and sparked a global campaign seeking their return, which included an intervention from then-US First Lady Michelle Obama.
Many have since either escaped or been freed, but as many as 100 remain missing.
By Richard Kagoe and Wedaeli Chibelushi, BBC
The Christian Association of Nigeria says they have been reunited with their families. A major military-led search and rescue operation is under way for the remaining 265 children and 12 teachers who were taken with them.
Authorities in several Nigerian states ordered schools to shut following the mass abduction in Niger and another smaller hostage-taking in Kebbi state on Monday when 25 pupils were kidnapped from a boarding school.
In response to the spate of abductions, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has ordered the recruitment of an additional 30,000 police officers.
In another development, 38 people abducted from a church service in Kwara state last week were freed on Sunday, the state governor said.
Two people were killed in the attack on Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku.
Orders were given for many schools to close in the states of Kebbi, Niger, Katsina, Yobe and Kwara.
News of the children's escape brought welcome relief for families and for a country that has been agonising over the fate of hundreds of abducted schoolchildren.
However, there is still a lot of confusion and uncertainty in Papiri, the village in Niger state where the children were taken from.
Parents whose children are still missing told the BBC they feel abandoned. While they expected security officers to be deployed in the village in the wake of the attack on St Mary's School, this has not yet happened.
President Tinubu's office said on Sunday that all police in Very Important Persons (VIP) protection services had been redeployed to focus on core duties, especially in remote areas prone to attacks.
A report published earlier this month by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) said more than a quarter of Nigeria's estimated 371,000-strong police force - 100,000 - were "assigned to the protection of politicians and VIPs, rather than to tasks serving the general population".
VIPs in need of protection will now be able to request armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
According to a Christian group involved in the case, the pupils managed to escape between Friday and Saturday in what is being described as a brave and risky attempt to flee their captors.
The kidnapping of more than 300 schoolchildren surpasses the 276 abducted during the infamous Chibok mass abduction of 2014.
Local police say armed men stormed St Mary's at around 02:00 (01:00 GMT) on Friday.
Niger state governor Mohammed Umaru Bongo announced on Saturday that all schools in the area would close, warning that was "not a time for blame game".
Calling for the release of the abductees, Pope Leo XIV expressed "immense sadness" and urged the authorities to act swiftly.
Dominic Adamu, whose daughters attend the school but were not taken, told the BBC: "Everybody is weak... It took everybody by surprise."
One distressed woman tearfully told the BBC that her nieces, aged six and 13, had been kidnapped, adding: "I just want them to come home."
The military, police and local vigilantes are conducting a search for the children, combing nearby forests and remote routes believed to have been used by the gunmen.
Authorities in Niger state said St Mary's School had disregarded an order to close all boarding facilities following intelligence warnings of a heightened risk of attacks. The school has not commented on that allegation.
The kidnapping of people for ransom by criminal gangs, known locally as bandits, has become a major problem in many parts of Nigeria.
The payment of ransoms has been outlawed in an attempt to cut the supply of money to the criminal gangs, but it has had little effect.
On Monday, more than 20 schoolgirls, who the BBC has been told are Muslim, were kidnapped from a boarding school in Kebbi state.
And on Saturday, 14 young farmers in the mainly Muslim Borno state were abducted. One of the women has been rescued by the police.
The Nigerian president postponed foreign trips - including to last weekend's G20 summit in South Africa - in order to address the security concerns.
Last week's attacks follows claims by right-wing figures in the US, including President Donald Trump, that Christians are being persecuted in Nigeria.
For months, campaigners and politicians in Washington have been alleging that Islamist militants are systematically targeting Christians. The Nigerian government has dismissed this claim.
Earlier this month, Trump said he would send troops into Nigeria "guns a-blazing" if the African nation's government "continues to allow the killing of Christians".
The Nigerian government has called claims that Christians are being persecuted "a gross misrepresentation of reality".
An official said that "terrorists attack all who reject their murderous ideology - Muslims, Christians and those of no faith alike".
In the north-east, jihadist groups have been battling the state for more than a decade.
Organisations monitoring violence say most of the victims of these groups are Muslim because most attacks happen in the majority-Muslim north of the country.
In the centre of Nigeria, there are also frequently deadly attacks between herders - who are mostly Muslim - on farmers, who are largely Christian.
However, analysts say these are often motivated by competition for resources, such as water or land, rather than religion.
The militant Islamist group Boko Haram took 276 girls from their school in the town of Chibok in 2014.
The incident drew international attention and sparked a global campaign seeking their return, which included an intervention from then-US First Lady Michelle Obama.
Many have since either escaped or been freed, but as many as 100 remain missing.
Friday, November 21, 2025
Pupils abducted from Catholic school in fresh Nigeria attack
An unknown number of pupils have been abducted by armed men from a Catholic school in central Nigeria, the second mass school kidnapping this week.
The latest attack targeted St Mary's School in Papiri, Niger state, where authorities had already ordered the temporary closure of all boarding schools due to rising security threats.
Details remain unclear but residents fear that close to 100 students and staff may have been taken away during the early-morning raid.
Nigeria has faced a renewed wave of attacks by armed groups in recent days, including the kidnapping on Monday of more than 20 schoolgirls, who the BBC has been told are Muslim, from a boarding school in nearby Kebbi state.
Police said armed men - locally known as bandits - stormed St Mary's School on Friday at about 02:00 local time (01:00 GMT) and abducted an unconfirmed number of students from their hostel.
Fear and uncertainty have gripped the area as families wait for news.
The authorities in Niger state said the school had disregarded an order to close all boarding facilities following intelligence warnings of a heightened risk of attacks.
"Regrettably, St Mary's School proceeded to reopen and resume academic activities without notifying or seeking clearance from the state government, thereby exposing pupils and the staff to avoidable risk," they said in a statement.
The school has not commented.
The police said that security agencies were "combing the forests with a view to rescue the abducted students".
The attack follows claims by US President Donald Trump that Christians are being persecuted in Nigeria, an allegation dismissed by the Nigerian government.
Earlier this month, Trump said he would send troops into Nigeria "guns a-blazing" if its government "continues to allow the killing of Christians".
The Nigerian government has pushed back on these claims, describing them as "a gross misrepresentation of reality".
An official said that "terrorists attack all who reject their murderous ideology - Muslims, Christians and those of no faith alike".
Nigeria is currently grappling multiple overlapping security crises.
The country's 220 million people are roughly evenly split between followers of the two religions, with Muslims in the majority in the north.
The kidnapping of people for ransom by criminal gangs, known locally as bandits, has become a major problem in many parts of the country.
In the north-east, jihadist groups have been battling the state for more than a decade. Organisations monitoring violence say most of the victims of these groups are Muslim because most attacks happen in the north.
In the centre of the country, there are also frequently deadly attacks between herders, who are mostly Muslim, on farmers, who are largely Christian. However, analysts say these are often motivated by competition for resources such as water or land, rather than religion.
On Tuesday, gunmen opened fire on a church in south-western Kwara state, killing two people and abducting 38 others as the service was being broadcast online.
Local media report that the kidnappers have demanded a ransom.
Two of the schoolgirls abducted on Monday in Kebbi state have managed to escape, while 23 are still missing. Two people were killed in that attack. They were both Muslim.
President Bola Tinubu this week postponed his foreign trips to address the rising wave of attacks across Africa's most populous country.
By Chris Ewokor and Wycliffe Muia, BBC
The latest attack targeted St Mary's School in Papiri, Niger state, where authorities had already ordered the temporary closure of all boarding schools due to rising security threats.
Details remain unclear but residents fear that close to 100 students and staff may have been taken away during the early-morning raid.
Nigeria has faced a renewed wave of attacks by armed groups in recent days, including the kidnapping on Monday of more than 20 schoolgirls, who the BBC has been told are Muslim, from a boarding school in nearby Kebbi state.
Police said armed men - locally known as bandits - stormed St Mary's School on Friday at about 02:00 local time (01:00 GMT) and abducted an unconfirmed number of students from their hostel.
Fear and uncertainty have gripped the area as families wait for news.
The authorities in Niger state said the school had disregarded an order to close all boarding facilities following intelligence warnings of a heightened risk of attacks.
"Regrettably, St Mary's School proceeded to reopen and resume academic activities without notifying or seeking clearance from the state government, thereby exposing pupils and the staff to avoidable risk," they said in a statement.
The school has not commented.
The police said that security agencies were "combing the forests with a view to rescue the abducted students".
The attack follows claims by US President Donald Trump that Christians are being persecuted in Nigeria, an allegation dismissed by the Nigerian government.
Earlier this month, Trump said he would send troops into Nigeria "guns a-blazing" if its government "continues to allow the killing of Christians".
The Nigerian government has pushed back on these claims, describing them as "a gross misrepresentation of reality".
An official said that "terrorists attack all who reject their murderous ideology - Muslims, Christians and those of no faith alike".
Nigeria is currently grappling multiple overlapping security crises.
The country's 220 million people are roughly evenly split between followers of the two religions, with Muslims in the majority in the north.
The kidnapping of people for ransom by criminal gangs, known locally as bandits, has become a major problem in many parts of the country.
In the north-east, jihadist groups have been battling the state for more than a decade. Organisations monitoring violence say most of the victims of these groups are Muslim because most attacks happen in the north.
In the centre of the country, there are also frequently deadly attacks between herders, who are mostly Muslim, on farmers, who are largely Christian. However, analysts say these are often motivated by competition for resources such as water or land, rather than religion.
On Tuesday, gunmen opened fire on a church in south-western Kwara state, killing two people and abducting 38 others as the service was being broadcast online.
Local media report that the kidnappers have demanded a ransom.
Two of the schoolgirls abducted on Monday in Kebbi state have managed to escape, while 23 are still missing. Two people were killed in that attack. They were both Muslim.
President Bola Tinubu this week postponed his foreign trips to address the rising wave of attacks across Africa's most populous country.
Thursday, November 20, 2025
Video - 25 girls abducted by armed gunmen in Nigeria
In Kebbi State, Nigeria, gunmen attacked a girls’ boarding school, killed the vice principal, and kidnapped 25 students. Security forces and local vigilantes are conducting an intensive search, highlighting persistent insecurity and repeated school kidnappings in northwest Nigeria.
Gunmen attack church in Nigeria, killing two and kidnapping others
Gunmen have attacked a church in Nigeria, killing at least two people and kidnapping the pastor and some worshippers, police and witnesses said on Wednesday, days after 25 girls were abducted from a boarding school.
The attack on Tuesday evening in Eruku, a town in central Nigeria's Kwara state, puts more pressure on the government, which is under scrutiny from U.S. President Donald Trump who has threatened military action over what he says is persecution of Christians.
President Bola Tinubu postponed a planned trip to South Africa and Angola for G20 and AU-EU summits to receive security briefings on the two attacks, and ordered more security to hunt down the assailants in Kwara, his office said.
The president also directed the security agencies "to do everything possible" to rescue the schoolgirls, "abducted by the bandits and bring the girls back home safe", his spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said.
Rapper Nicki Minaj appealed on Tuesday for global action to defend religious freedom. Speaking at the U.S. mission to the United Nations, the Trinidad-born artist, who lives in New York, said that in Nigeria "Christians are being targeted, driven from their homes and killed".
Nigeria is grappling with an Islamist insurgency in the northeast, abductions and killings by armed gangs mainly in the northwest and deadly clashes between mainly Muslim herdsmen and mostly Christian farmers in its central belt.
The government says the U.S. designation of Nigeria as "a country of particular concern" misrepresents its complex security challenges and does not take into account its efforts to safeguard freedom of religion for all.
In the latest attack, police responded to gunfire at around 6 p.m. on Tuesday and discovered one person fatally shot inside the church and another in a nearby bush, said Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, police spokesperson for Kwara state. Witnesses said they counted at least three dead church members.
GUNFIRE ERUPTS DURING CHURCH SERVICE, VIDEO SHOWS
A video posted by a local news outlet and verified by Reuters showed the Christ Apostolic Church service being interrupted by gunfire, forcing parishioners to take cover. Armed men are seen entering and taking people's belongings as gunshots continue.
The governor of Kwara asked for the immediate deployment of more security operatives following the church attack, his spokesperson said.
Authorities have not yet located the girls abducted by armed men who stormed the predominantly Muslim Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in northwestern Kebbi state on Monday. Vice President Kashim Shettima was expected to travel to the state to meet officials and parents on Wednesday.
By Ahmed Kingimi, Reuters
The attack on Tuesday evening in Eruku, a town in central Nigeria's Kwara state, puts more pressure on the government, which is under scrutiny from U.S. President Donald Trump who has threatened military action over what he says is persecution of Christians.
President Bola Tinubu postponed a planned trip to South Africa and Angola for G20 and AU-EU summits to receive security briefings on the two attacks, and ordered more security to hunt down the assailants in Kwara, his office said.
The president also directed the security agencies "to do everything possible" to rescue the schoolgirls, "abducted by the bandits and bring the girls back home safe", his spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said.
GRAPPLING WITH ISLAMIST INSURGENCY
Rapper Nicki Minaj appealed on Tuesday for global action to defend religious freedom. Speaking at the U.S. mission to the United Nations, the Trinidad-born artist, who lives in New York, said that in Nigeria "Christians are being targeted, driven from their homes and killed".
Nigeria is grappling with an Islamist insurgency in the northeast, abductions and killings by armed gangs mainly in the northwest and deadly clashes between mainly Muslim herdsmen and mostly Christian farmers in its central belt.
The government says the U.S. designation of Nigeria as "a country of particular concern" misrepresents its complex security challenges and does not take into account its efforts to safeguard freedom of religion for all.
In the latest attack, police responded to gunfire at around 6 p.m. on Tuesday and discovered one person fatally shot inside the church and another in a nearby bush, said Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, police spokesperson for Kwara state. Witnesses said they counted at least three dead church members.
"They later rounded up some worshippers, including the pastor, and took them into the bush," parishioner Joseph Bitrus told Reuters by phone, without saying how many were taken.
GUNFIRE ERUPTS DURING CHURCH SERVICE, VIDEO SHOWS
A video posted by a local news outlet and verified by Reuters showed the Christ Apostolic Church service being interrupted by gunfire, forcing parishioners to take cover. Armed men are seen entering and taking people's belongings as gunshots continue.
The governor of Kwara asked for the immediate deployment of more security operatives following the church attack, his spokesperson said.
Authorities have not yet located the girls abducted by armed men who stormed the predominantly Muslim Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in northwestern Kebbi state on Monday. Vice President Kashim Shettima was expected to travel to the state to meet officials and parents on Wednesday.
Nigeria shuts some schools in Kwara state after church attack
Nigerian authorities have shut schools in five districts in central Kwara state, fearing they could be targets of armed gangs after a deadly attack on a church in the state earlier in the week.
Nigeria has witnessed a spate of attacks by gunmen, including the kidnapping on Monday of 25 schoolgirls from a boarding school in northwestern Kebbi state, putting a spotlight on insecurity and forcing President Bola Tinubu to postpone foreign trips.
"The (Kwara state) government is determined to curtail the activities of kidnappers who may want to use schoolchildren as human shields," Lawal Olohungbebe, the Kwara state education commissioner, said in a statement on Thursday.
He said the school closures would remain in place until security agencies give clearance for normal activities to resume.
On Tuesday evening, gunmen attacked a church in Kwara state, which borders Benin in the west of Nigeria, killing at least two people and kidnapping the pastor and some worshippers.
Nigeria is under scrutiny from U.S. President Donald Trump who in early November threatened military action over the treatment of Christians in the country.
Nigeria says claims that Christians face persecution misrepresent a complex security situation and do not take into account efforts to safeguard religious freedom.
Tinubu has dispatched a delegation led by the country's national security advisor to meet U.S. lawmakers and government officials.
Nigeria has witnessed a spate of attacks by gunmen, including the kidnapping on Monday of 25 schoolgirls from a boarding school in northwestern Kebbi state, putting a spotlight on insecurity and forcing President Bola Tinubu to postpone foreign trips.
"The (Kwara state) government is determined to curtail the activities of kidnappers who may want to use schoolchildren as human shields," Lawal Olohungbebe, the Kwara state education commissioner, said in a statement on Thursday.
He said the school closures would remain in place until security agencies give clearance for normal activities to resume.
On Tuesday evening, gunmen attacked a church in Kwara state, which borders Benin in the west of Nigeria, killing at least two people and kidnapping the pastor and some worshippers.
Nigeria is under scrutiny from U.S. President Donald Trump who in early November threatened military action over the treatment of Christians in the country.
Nigeria says claims that Christians face persecution misrepresent a complex security situation and do not take into account efforts to safeguard religious freedom.
Tinubu has dispatched a delegation led by the country's national security advisor to meet U.S. lawmakers and government officials.
President Tinubu delays G20 trip amid search for 24 abducted schoolgirls
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has postponed his trip to South Africa for the Group of 20 summit, promising to intensify efforts to rescue 24 schoolgirls abducted by armed men earlier this week.
The president’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, said in a statement on Wednesday that Tinubu suspended his departure in light of the girls’ abduction and a separate church attack in which gunmen killed two people.
Tinubu had been set to leave on Wednesday, days before the two-day summit of the world’s leading rich and developing nations was due to begin on Saturday.
“Disturbed by the security breaches in Kebbi State and Tuesday’s attack by bandits against worshippers at Christ Apostolic Church, Eruku, President Tinubu decided to suspend his departure” to the G20 summit, Onanuga said.
It was not clear immediately if or when Tinubu would leave for the weekend summit in Johannesburg.
Search for abducted girls ongoing
The schoolgirls were abducted by unidentified armed men from a secondary school in the northwestern town of Maga in Kebbi State late on Sunday night.
The attackers exchanged gunfire with police before scaling the perimeter fence and abducting the students.
One of the girls managed to escape, authorities said, but the school’s vice principal was killed. No group immediately claimed responsibility for abducting the girls, and their motivation was unclear.
Authorities say the gunmen are mostly former herders who have taken up arms against farming communities after clashes between them over strained resources.
In a separate attack on a church in western Nigeria on Tuesday, armed men killed two people during a service that was recorded and broadcast online.
Supporters of United States President Donald Trump have seized on the violence to embolden their claim that Christians are under attack in Nigeria.
Trump has threatened to invade Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” over what right-wing lawmakers in the US allege is a “Christian genocide“.
Nigeria has rejected the US president’s statements, saying more Muslims have been killed in the country’s various security crises.
The president’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, said in a statement on Wednesday that Tinubu suspended his departure in light of the girls’ abduction and a separate church attack in which gunmen killed two people.
Tinubu had been set to leave on Wednesday, days before the two-day summit of the world’s leading rich and developing nations was due to begin on Saturday.
“Disturbed by the security breaches in Kebbi State and Tuesday’s attack by bandits against worshippers at Christ Apostolic Church, Eruku, President Tinubu decided to suspend his departure” to the G20 summit, Onanuga said.
It was not clear immediately if or when Tinubu would leave for the weekend summit in Johannesburg.
Search for abducted girls ongoing
The schoolgirls were abducted by unidentified armed men from a secondary school in the northwestern town of Maga in Kebbi State late on Sunday night.
The attackers exchanged gunfire with police before scaling the perimeter fence and abducting the students.
One of the girls managed to escape, authorities said, but the school’s vice principal was killed. No group immediately claimed responsibility for abducting the girls, and their motivation was unclear.
Authorities say the gunmen are mostly former herders who have taken up arms against farming communities after clashes between them over strained resources.
In a separate attack on a church in western Nigeria on Tuesday, armed men killed two people during a service that was recorded and broadcast online.
Supporters of United States President Donald Trump have seized on the violence to embolden their claim that Christians are under attack in Nigeria.
Trump has threatened to invade Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” over what right-wing lawmakers in the US allege is a “Christian genocide“.
Nigeria has rejected the US president’s statements, saying more Muslims have been killed in the country’s various security crises.
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Teacher killed and 25 girls abducted in gunbattle at Nigerian school
Armed men have killed a teacher and abducted at least 25 students in an attack on a girls' secondary school in north-western Nigeria, police say.
The gang invaded the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, at around 04:00 local time (0300 GMT) on Monday, they said.
The attackers "engaged police personnel on duty in a gun duel" before scaling the perimeter fence and seizing the students from their hostel, a statement said.
One member of staff was killed while trying to protect the students. A second sustained gunshot wounds and is now receiving treatment.
Eyewitnesses described a large group of attackers, known locally as bandits, who arrived firing sporadically to cause panic.
Residents told the BBC that the gunmen subsequently marched a number of girls into nearby bushland.
The police said they had deployed "additional police tactical units, alongside military personnel and vigilante groups" to the area.
A coordinated search and rescue operation is underway in surrounding forests and suspected escape routes.
Over the past decade, schools in northern Nigeria have become frequent targets for armed groups, who often carry out abductions to seek ransom payments or leverage deals with the government.
As well as trying to crack down on the kidnappers, Nigeria has also banned the payment of ransoms in an attempt to make it less lucrative.
This is the first major school abduction since March 2024, when more than 200 pupils were seized from a school in Kuriga, Kaduna state.
The attack in Kebbi State highlights the persistent security crisis plaguing the region, leaving families in Maga in a state of fearful exhaustion as they wait and hope for their daughters' safe return.
Chris Ewokor and Mansur Abubakar, BBC
The gang invaded the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, at around 04:00 local time (0300 GMT) on Monday, they said.
The attackers "engaged police personnel on duty in a gun duel" before scaling the perimeter fence and seizing the students from their hostel, a statement said.
One member of staff was killed while trying to protect the students. A second sustained gunshot wounds and is now receiving treatment.
Eyewitnesses described a large group of attackers, known locally as bandits, who arrived firing sporadically to cause panic.
Residents told the BBC that the gunmen subsequently marched a number of girls into nearby bushland.
The police said they had deployed "additional police tactical units, alongside military personnel and vigilante groups" to the area.
A coordinated search and rescue operation is underway in surrounding forests and suspected escape routes.
Over the past decade, schools in northern Nigeria have become frequent targets for armed groups, who often carry out abductions to seek ransom payments or leverage deals with the government.
As well as trying to crack down on the kidnappers, Nigeria has also banned the payment of ransoms in an attempt to make it less lucrative.
This is the first major school abduction since March 2024, when more than 200 pupils were seized from a school in Kuriga, Kaduna state.
The attack in Kebbi State highlights the persistent security crisis plaguing the region, leaving families in Maga in a state of fearful exhaustion as they wait and hope for their daughters' safe return.
Monday, November 3, 2025
Video - Nigeria-US tensions rise over religious killings claims
US President Donald Trump has threatened military action against Nigeria, accusing the government of failing to protect Christians. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu rejected the claims, saying insecurity affects all Nigerians regardless of faith and that freedom of worship is guaranteed.
Friday, October 17, 2025
Gunmen ambush security patrol in Nigeria’s northwest, killing 8
Gunmen ambushed a security personnel in Nigeria’s northwestern Zamfara state and killed at least eight people, the state’s governor said.
The attack took place Thursday on the Gusau-Funtua road in Zamfara state’s Tsafe area, and killed five police officers and three members of a local paramilitary group that works with the police, Gov. Dauda Lawal said in a statement posted on Facebook.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the killings.
Such attacks are common in Nigeria’s northern region, where local herders and farmers often clash over limited access to land and water. The farmers accuse the herders, mostly of Fulani origin, of grazing their livestock on their farms and destroying their produce.
In recent months, there has been an increase in attacks by armed groups who kidnap residents for ransom in northwest Nigeria, and particularly in Zamfara state.
“We pray to God to bring an end to this security problem in Zamfara state and Nigeria,” Lawal said on Facebook.
Buhari Morki, a resident of Gusau, told The Associated Press that the gunmen waited in the bushes along the road where law enforcement officials usually patrol.
“The bandits were moving to a community in the area when they saw the patrol,” Moriki said.
Nigeria is also battling to contain Boko Haram insurgents in the northeast, where some 35,000 civilians have been killed and more than 2 million displaced, according to the United Nations.
By Dyepkazah Shibayan, AP
The attack took place Thursday on the Gusau-Funtua road in Zamfara state’s Tsafe area, and killed five police officers and three members of a local paramilitary group that works with the police, Gov. Dauda Lawal said in a statement posted on Facebook.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the killings.
Such attacks are common in Nigeria’s northern region, where local herders and farmers often clash over limited access to land and water. The farmers accuse the herders, mostly of Fulani origin, of grazing their livestock on their farms and destroying their produce.
In recent months, there has been an increase in attacks by armed groups who kidnap residents for ransom in northwest Nigeria, and particularly in Zamfara state.
“We pray to God to bring an end to this security problem in Zamfara state and Nigeria,” Lawal said on Facebook.
Buhari Morki, a resident of Gusau, told The Associated Press that the gunmen waited in the bushes along the road where law enforcement officials usually patrol.
“The bandits were moving to a community in the area when they saw the patrol,” Moriki said.
Nigeria is also battling to contain Boko Haram insurgents in the northeast, where some 35,000 civilians have been killed and more than 2 million displaced, according to the United Nations.
Thursday, October 2, 2025
Despite pervasive insecurity, Tinubu says his govt winning war against violent crimes
Despite the regular killing and kidnapping of Nigerians in different parts of the country by armed groups, President Bola Tinubu said security agencies in his administration “are winning the war against terrorism, banditry and other violent crimes.”
The Nigerian leader spoke Wednesday in a nationwide broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary.
PREMIUM TIMES has reported several cases of killings by armed groups in states like Niger, Kwara, Katsina, Zamfara, Anambra, and Borno. The killings have continued despite the efforts of security agencies.
Mr Tinubu, however, said victories achieved need to be celebrated.
“Peace has returned to hundreds of our liberated communities in North-West and North-East, and thousands of our people have returned safely to their homes,” he said.
By Yakubu Mohammed, Premium Times
The Nigerian leader spoke Wednesday in a nationwide broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary.
PREMIUM TIMES has reported several cases of killings by armed groups in states like Niger, Kwara, Katsina, Zamfara, Anambra, and Borno. The killings have continued despite the efforts of security agencies.
Mr Tinubu, however, said victories achieved need to be celebrated.
“Peace has returned to hundreds of our liberated communities in North-West and North-East, and thousands of our people have returned safely to their homes,” he said.
Is Security Improving
The president’s words could pass as a political statement that does not reflect what millions of Nigerians are going through.
An analysis of Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), a global data hub that collects real-time conflict-related data, showed that 7,472 people were killed while 12,584 were abducted in President Tinubu’s two years leadership. This data, based on attacks from 29 May 2023 to 19 May 2025, focuses exclusively on deaths and abductions perpetrated by terror groups.
Although the country has recorded some achievements against insecurity including the killings of over 15,000 insurgents in the North-east, the arrests of Ansaru leaders and the killings of bandits kingpins, the continued waves of violence put these feats to test.
The president’s words could pass as a political statement that does not reflect what millions of Nigerians are going through.
An analysis of Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), a global data hub that collects real-time conflict-related data, showed that 7,472 people were killed while 12,584 were abducted in President Tinubu’s two years leadership. This data, based on attacks from 29 May 2023 to 19 May 2025, focuses exclusively on deaths and abductions perpetrated by terror groups.
Although the country has recorded some achievements against insecurity including the killings of over 15,000 insurgents in the North-east, the arrests of Ansaru leaders and the killings of bandits kingpins, the continued waves of violence put these feats to test.
Waves of violence
Terrorists continue to disrupt peace and stability in the three geopolitical zones in the north.
For the past few weeks, they have intensified attacks against civilians and security forces.
In Borno State, where Boko Haram and its splinter group, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have made a strong comeback, there is a resurgence of attacks and redisplacement of recently resettled communities.
Since January, insurgents have killed more than 130 people including in Borno. Some of the attacks as seen here, here, here, and here, targeted civilians and soldiers who were ambushed at their bases.
The North-east insurgency ravaging BAY (Borno, Adamawa and Yobe) states has lingered for 15 years, resulting in more than 40,000 deaths and around two million displacements.
In Niger State where bandits groups often collaborate with core terrorist groups like the Sadiku Boko Haram faction, abductions and killings have resurfaced.
Local residents told PREMIUM TIMES that armed gangs have laid siege to several communities in the northern senatorial district in the state. On Monday, the terrorists kidnapped many people from this area, including a former chairperson of Niger State Universal Basic Education Board.
A worse and similar pattern was witnessed in neighbouring Kwara State. At least 15 vigilantes and hunters were killed by terrorists in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area. Scores of villagers were also abducted during the raid.
In Patigi Local Government Area, where a pregnant woman and nine others were killed, several villages have been devastated by terrorists who specialise in cattle rustling and kidnapping for ransom.
Violence seemed to have simmered in Benue following the infamous Yelwata attack that claimed more than 200 lives, but attacks against security forces continue with the latest killing of nine police officers last month.
In Plateau, gunmen killed six people and abducted two others on 14 September in a village in Bokkos Local Government Area.
In the South-east, Amnesty International said at least 1,844 people were killed between January 2021 and June 2023. PREMIUM TIMES understands that the violence continues in remote areas.
The South-south region is also faced with a peculiar threat including waterway abductions, according to our analysis of the ACLED data. Cultism and other forms of violence remain the major threats in South-west.
Terrorists continue to disrupt peace and stability in the three geopolitical zones in the north.
For the past few weeks, they have intensified attacks against civilians and security forces.
In Borno State, where Boko Haram and its splinter group, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have made a strong comeback, there is a resurgence of attacks and redisplacement of recently resettled communities.
Since January, insurgents have killed more than 130 people including in Borno. Some of the attacks as seen here, here, here, and here, targeted civilians and soldiers who were ambushed at their bases.
The North-east insurgency ravaging BAY (Borno, Adamawa and Yobe) states has lingered for 15 years, resulting in more than 40,000 deaths and around two million displacements.
In Niger State where bandits groups often collaborate with core terrorist groups like the Sadiku Boko Haram faction, abductions and killings have resurfaced.
Local residents told PREMIUM TIMES that armed gangs have laid siege to several communities in the northern senatorial district in the state. On Monday, the terrorists kidnapped many people from this area, including a former chairperson of Niger State Universal Basic Education Board.
A worse and similar pattern was witnessed in neighbouring Kwara State. At least 15 vigilantes and hunters were killed by terrorists in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area. Scores of villagers were also abducted during the raid.
In Patigi Local Government Area, where a pregnant woman and nine others were killed, several villages have been devastated by terrorists who specialise in cattle rustling and kidnapping for ransom.
Violence seemed to have simmered in Benue following the infamous Yelwata attack that claimed more than 200 lives, but attacks against security forces continue with the latest killing of nine police officers last month.
In Plateau, gunmen killed six people and abducted two others on 14 September in a village in Bokkos Local Government Area.
In the South-east, Amnesty International said at least 1,844 people were killed between January 2021 and June 2023. PREMIUM TIMES understands that the violence continues in remote areas.
The South-south region is also faced with a peculiar threat including waterway abductions, according to our analysis of the ACLED data. Cultism and other forms of violence remain the major threats in South-west.
Monday, September 8, 2025
At least 60 people dead in Boko Haram attack in northern Nigeria
More than 60 people were killed in overnight attacks by the jihadist group Boko Haram in the northern Nigerian state of Borno, local officials said. At least five of the people killed were soldiers.
The militants struck the village of Darul Jamal, the location of a military base along the Nigeria-Cameroon border. The Nigerian Air Force said it killed 30 militants after it received reports of attacks on the village.
"In a series of three precise and successive strikes, the fleeing terrorists were decisively engaged, resulting in the neutralization of over 30 insurgents," Nigerian Air Force spokesperson Ehimen Ejodame said, according to BBC News.
Ejodame said the insurgents were fleeing north from the town toward nearby bushes.
Residents recently returned to the rebuilding village after years of being displaced by fighting between Boko Haram and rival groups, including the West African branch of the Islamic State group, authorities said.
"This community was settled a few months ago and they went about their normal activities, but unfortunately, they experienced a Boko Haram attack last night," Gov. Babagana Zulum told local media. "Our visit is to commiserate with them and build their resilience."
Zulum called for the immediate deployment of newly trained specialty guards to help the military defend vulnerable communities.
A decade ago, Boko Haram controlled large areas of Borno state before being pushed back.
The militants struck the village of Darul Jamal, the location of a military base along the Nigeria-Cameroon border. The Nigerian Air Force said it killed 30 militants after it received reports of attacks on the village.
"In a series of three precise and successive strikes, the fleeing terrorists were decisively engaged, resulting in the neutralization of over 30 insurgents," Nigerian Air Force spokesperson Ehimen Ejodame said, according to BBC News.
Ejodame said the insurgents were fleeing north from the town toward nearby bushes.
Residents recently returned to the rebuilding village after years of being displaced by fighting between Boko Haram and rival groups, including the West African branch of the Islamic State group, authorities said.
"This community was settled a few months ago and they went about their normal activities, but unfortunately, they experienced a Boko Haram attack last night," Gov. Babagana Zulum told local media. "Our visit is to commiserate with them and build their resilience."
Zulum called for the immediate deployment of newly trained specialty guards to help the military defend vulnerable communities.
A decade ago, Boko Haram controlled large areas of Borno state before being pushed back.
Monday, September 1, 2025
Mob burns Nigerian woman to death for alleged blasphemy
A woman has been burnt to death by a mob in northern Nigeria's Niger state after she was accused of blaspheming against Prophet Muhammad, police have said.
Police condemned the killing of the woman - identified in local media as a food vendor named Amaye - as "jungle justice", saying that an investigation was under way to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.
Local media quoted eyewitnesses as saying a man jokingly proposed marriage to the vendor, and her response was considered blasphemous by some people in the area.
"Unfortunately, it led to a mob attack, and [she] was set ablaze before a reinforcement of security teams could arrive at the scene," state police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun said.
He appealed to members of the public to remain calm and not to take the law into their own hands following the killing on Saturday in Kasuwan-Garba town.
Such killings are not uncommon in northern Nigeria, where blasphemy is regarded as a criminal offence under Islamic (Sharia) law, which operates alongside secular law in 12 mainly Muslim states.
At least two other people have been lynched over such accusations in the last three years, with critics pointing out that not enough is being done to prevent the killings that have targeted both Muslims and Christians.
In 2022, student Deborah Samuel was beaten and burned alive in Sokoto state after being accused of making blasphemous comments.
Last year, a butcher, Usman Buda, was stoned to death in the same state under similar circumstances.
Though Nigeria's constitution upholds freedom of speech, the country remains deeply divided on matters of faith and justice.
Nigeria's Supreme Court has in the past ruled that blasphemy allegations must be proven in a court of law.
By Chris Ewokor, BBC
Police condemned the killing of the woman - identified in local media as a food vendor named Amaye - as "jungle justice", saying that an investigation was under way to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.
Local media quoted eyewitnesses as saying a man jokingly proposed marriage to the vendor, and her response was considered blasphemous by some people in the area.
"Unfortunately, it led to a mob attack, and [she] was set ablaze before a reinforcement of security teams could arrive at the scene," state police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun said.
He appealed to members of the public to remain calm and not to take the law into their own hands following the killing on Saturday in Kasuwan-Garba town.
Such killings are not uncommon in northern Nigeria, where blasphemy is regarded as a criminal offence under Islamic (Sharia) law, which operates alongside secular law in 12 mainly Muslim states.
At least two other people have been lynched over such accusations in the last three years, with critics pointing out that not enough is being done to prevent the killings that have targeted both Muslims and Christians.
In 2022, student Deborah Samuel was beaten and burned alive in Sokoto state after being accused of making blasphemous comments.
Last year, a butcher, Usman Buda, was stoned to death in the same state under similar circumstances.
Though Nigeria's constitution upholds freedom of speech, the country remains deeply divided on matters of faith and justice.
Nigeria's Supreme Court has in the past ruled that blasphemy allegations must be proven in a court of law.
By Chris Ewokor, BBC
Related story: Nigeria’s blasphemy laws must be repealed, orders court
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