Nigeria school abductions linked to Boko Haram militants

The Nigerian military has confirmed that the abduction of dozens of students and teachers in Oyo State, southern Nigeria, was carried out by fighters from Boko Haram.

In an official statement, a military spokesperson identified the perpetrators as members of the jihadist group Jama’at Ahl al-Sunnah li-l-Da’awah wa al-Jihad (JAS), widely recognized as Boko Haram. The statement explained that these armed elements had shifted their operations toward southern regions after facing heavy military pressure in the country’s northern territories.

The attacks unfolded last Friday in the towns of Yawota and Esiele, where heavily armed assailants stormed multiple school campuses. Reports vary on the number of victims: the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) estimates 39 children and seven teachers were kidnapped, while Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde reports 25 students and seven instructors were taken.

Security forces are actively searching for the victims, who range in age from 2 to 16 years, as well as their educators. This wave of violence comes amid a disturbing trend of school kidnappings, though such incidents remain rare in Oyo State, where the capital, Ibadan, serves as a major educational hub in the country.

In response to the escalating threat, the Nigerian military, backed by American forces, has significantly stepped up its counter-terrorism operations in the north. Military sources suggest this intensified campaign may have forced some jihadist fighters to relocate southward.

Recent joint airstrikes in the northeast—historically a stronghold of Boko Haram—are reported to have resulted in the deaths of 175 jihadist combatants, according to military authorities.

Over the past few months, armed groups have dramatically increased their attacks, targeting both civilians and security personnel. A recent analysis by SBM Intelligence in Abuja reveals that 306 Nigerian soldiers were killed in the first quarter of the year alone.