Unusual movements spark mass escape amid escalating school attacks across northern Nigeria
Students at Government Girls College, Maiduguri, Borno State, fled their hostels in fear late at night after reportedly sighting masked men dressed in black within the school premises. The panic comes at a time when attacks on educational institutions across northern Nigeria have sharply increased, raising nationwide concern about student safety.
According to a video obtained by SaharaReporters, dozens of students were seen running out of the school compound in the darkness. One student recounted that the suspected intruders entered the hostel area while many of the girls were observing prayers in the school mosque. She pleaded with authorities to allow students to return home temporarily, emphasizing their fear of a repeat of the 2014 Chibok abductions.
The student appealed to the Borno State Chief Security Officer, the Commissioner of Police, and the Commissioner for Education to urgently intervene before, in her words, “we hear bad news.” Her plea reflects a growing sense of vulnerability among students and parents, as schools across the region have increasingly become targets of violent attacks.
The situation in Maiduguri mirrors a disturbing pattern seen in other northern states in recent weeks. In Niger State, armed groups abducted 265 staff and students from St. Mary’s School, including 239 children. In Kebbi State, around 25 students were taken from their school in a separate incident. These kidnappings have renewed criticism over the ability of security agencies to safeguard schools and prevent large-scale abductions.
The recent incidents add to the long list of school attacks that have plagued parts of the region for over a decade, highlighting persistent security vulnerabilities despite repeated government pledges to strengthen protection for students. Attempts to obtain an official reaction from the Borno State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, did not respond to inquiries.
The fear and uncertainty gripping students and their families underscore the urgent need for decisive action as communities continue to grapple with the ongoing threat of violence targeting educational institutions.
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