Nigerian must act now to protect abducted schoolchildren – Amnesty

Human rights organisation, Amnesty International, has called on Nigerian authorities to urgently act to secure the release of school children abducted in Borno and Oyo States.

The organisation raised the concern in a post shared on X on Friday, warning that the children are at serious risk and must be rescued without delay.

Amnesty said the abductions highlight the growing danger faced by schoolchildren and communities affected by repeated armed attacks.

“The children abducted in Borno and Oyo are at serious risk of being harmed. Nigerian authorities must take all measures to return them to safety,” the organisation said.

It added that all children currently in the custody of armed groups must also be rescued, stressing that attacks on schools should be treated as serious violations of international law.

“Attacks on schools and abductions of children are war crimes,” it said.

The organisation also warned that insecurity has forced many children out of school, while teachers in affected communities have been displaced due to repeated violence.

“Other children have had to abandon their education after being displaced by frequent violent attacks on their communities, and many teachers have been forced to flee to other states,” it added.

Amnesty further stressed that schools should remain safe spaces for learning and not places of fear or danger.

“Schools should be places of safety, and no child should have to choose between their education and their life,” the group said.

It urged Nigerian authorities to take immediate and concrete steps to prevent further attacks on schools, protect children, and guarantee their right to education.