Nigeria (The COW News Digital)Nigeria has declared a national security emergency following a surge in mass kidnappings targeting school children, teachers, and civilians over the past week. President Bola Tinubu announced the emergency as part of an urgent response to escalating insecurity across multiple states.
According to Arab media reports, the president described the situation as a “national crisis” and stated that additional security personnel are being deployed immediately to stabilize affected regions. “We are confronting unprecedented security challenges, and extra forces are being sent to the field without delay,” he said.
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The past week has witnessed a string of abductions across urban and rural areas, with armed groups raiding schools and communities. Several hostages have been rescued, while some managed to escape on their own. However, authorities report that 265 children and staff remain missing from a Catholic boarding school in Niger State, highlighting the scale of the crisis.
In response, President Tinubu has ordered large-scale new recruitment into the armed forces, emphasizing that additional military and police personnel will be deployed on the ground to counter the growing security threat. The government has also expanded the operational reach of emergency response teams in affected regions to ensure rapid intervention.
Authorities are conducting extensive search and rescue operations to locate the missing students and staff. Security forces are coordinating with local communities to gather intelligence and track down the perpetrators. Officials warned that the situation remains volatile and that citizens should exercise caution in areas prone to attacks.
The emergency declaration comes amid growing public concern over Nigeria’s rising insecurity, particularly in regions frequently targeted by criminal gangs and extremist groups. Analysts say that unless urgent measures are taken, the cycle of abductions and violence could further destabilize the country.
President Tinubu’s announcement also included a call for public cooperation, urging citizens to report suspicious activities and assist authorities in locating the abducted individuals. The government has vowed to bring those responsible to justice while prioritizing the safety of children and educators nationwide.
This national security emergency marks one of the most serious responses by the Nigerian government in recent years, underscoring the urgency of addressing a pattern of kidnappings that has alarmed both domestic and international observers.
