The kidnapping of more than 300 children and staff on 21 November from a Catholic school in Central Nigeria is the latest in a series of mass abductions targeting schools. It took place just days after 25 pupils were kidnapped from a boarding school in Kebbi State, an attack that also resulted in the death of the school’s Vice-Principal.
This latest kidnapping surpasses the 276 school children taken during the Chibok mass abduction of 2014. So far, only fifty of the children kidnapped on Friday are reported to have escaped.
The attack occurred on the eve of the Fifth International Conference on the Safe Schools Declaration taking place in Nairobi on 25-26 November. The conference marked the 10th anniversary of the Safe Schools Declaration, a global commitment - endorsed by 122 States, including the UK Government - to protect students, teachers, and schools during armed conflict.
Repeated attacks on education underscore the urgent need to strengthen and fully implement the Safe Schools Declaration. The number of attacks on schools, teachers and students in conflict zones has tripled in the past five years. Analysis of UN data by Save the Children found that there were 2,445 attacks on schools in 2024 (the latest available year) compared to 790 in 2020 – an almost three-fold increase.
NEU General Secretary Daniel Kebede said:
“We extend our solidarity to the victims, families and communities of these appalling attacks on schools in Nigeria. The NEU urges the immediate and unconditional release of all abducted children and staff, and the urgent protection of students and teachers.
“These latest attacks must be an urgent wake-up call. At this week’s Fifth International Conference on the Safe Schools Declaration, the UK Government must commit to upholding international humanitarian law and ensuring accountability for all attacks on education – in actions, not just words.
“Children and their teachers in Nigeria, Palestine, Sudan, Ukraine and conflict zones across the world need protection now.”