Following recent student abductions in Kebbi and Niger states, data emerging on Sunday has revealed that at least 2,496 students have been abducted in 92 school attacks by terrorists in Nigeria over the past decade, after the world was shocked by the Chibok girls’ kidnapping.
On Monday, November 17, 2025, terrorists attacked a girls’ boarding school, Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, in the Danko Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi state.
During the attack, 25 schoolgirls were initially abducted, with reports revealing that the school’s Vice Principal was killed.
Days after, terrorists again attacked St. Mary’s School, a Catholic co-educational institution in the Papiri community, Agwara Local Government Area, of Niger State on Friday, November 21, 2025.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) revealed that a total of 315 people were abducted; 303 students (both male and female, aged 10 to 18) and 12 teachers.
The Niger abduction is one of the largest abductions witnessed in Nigeria, even greater than the April 2014 abduction of 276 girls from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that it was the abduction of the Chibok girls that thrust Boko Haram insurgency into the global spotlight.
Meanwhile, since those incidents, terrorists have gone on to abduct 2,496 students in 92 reported school attacks.
This is according to data sourced from Nigeria’s media reports, Save the Children International, and UNICEF.
While the Chibok girls’ abduction appeared to be ideologically driven, recent incidents indicate that it has evolved into a financial scheme.
This is as millions of Naira have been paid to these terrorists by families of the affected individuals over the years.
Recently, reports emerged that the terrorists who attacked the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Igan, Eruku, in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, have reportedly demanded N100m ransom per victim.
Although those abducted during the attack are not students, it was reported that 38 Christians were abducted during last week’s Tuesday evening attack.
A breakdown of data sourced from Nigeria’s media reports, Save the Children International, and UNICEF revealed that about 70 attacks on schools were reported between April 2014 and December 2022, with more than 1,680 students abducted.
Also, between January 2023 and November 2025, Nigeria recorded another 22 attacks on educational institutions, with 816 students kidnapped.
These figures represent only verified incidents reported by media organisations.
Many more, especially in remote communities in Niger, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Katsina, are believed to have gone unreported.
One of the incidents in the 2,496 students abducted in 92 school attacks happened in Kuriga, Kaduna State, in March 2024.
According to reports, the terrorist struck the school when students assembled for the morning session. Reports indicated that 287 pupils were taken. The kidnappers reportedly demanded one billion naira.
Another incident happened at Greenfield University (April 2021). Terrorists stormed the university located in Kasarami village, Chikun LGA, Kaduna State.
According to media reports, 20 students and 2 staff members were kidnapped.
A ransom of N150 million was reportedly paid by the parents and 8 brand new motorcycles for the eventual release of the students.
Another case in the reported 2,496 students abducted in 92 school attacks since 2014 was the Dapchi abduction (February 2018).
Terrorists stormed the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College (GGSTC), Dapchi, Yobe State. 110 schoolgirls (aged 11-19) were reportedly kidnapped.
The girls were returned by the insurgents about one month later, after negotiations between the government and Boko Haram.
5 girls died during the captivity.
Leah Sharibu was the sole girl who was not released, reportedly for refusing to convert to Islam, and she remains in captivity as of press time.
Timeline of attacks
Below is a timeline of key school kidnapping/mass abduction incidents in Nigeria since 2014, based on reported cases:
14 April 2014: 276 girls abducted from Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.
25 May 2017: Igbonla Model College: In Lagos (Epe), armed men abduct six pupils from the college hostel.
19 February 2018: About 110 schoolgirls were kidnapped from the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State.
11 December 2020: Over 300 boys taken from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State.
17 February 2021: 27 students (plus some staff/relatives) abducted from Government Science College, Kagara, Niger State.
26 February 2021: Around 279 girls were taken from the Government Girls Science Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara State.
11 March 2021: 39 students (23 female, 16 male) kidnapped from Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, Kaduna State.
20 April 2021: At least 20 students were taken from Greenfield University, Kaduna State.
5 July 2021: Over 120 students abducted from Bethel Baptist High School, Chikun, Kaduna.
30 May 2021: About 200 Islamic school pupils were abducted in Tegina, Niger State.
17 June 2021: About 11 students kidnapped in Yauri, Kebbi State
20 January 2023: LGEA Primary School, Nasarawa: Six pupils kidnapped in early morning raid
20 January 2023: Kidnappers abduct six pupils in Doma, Nassarawa.
14 February 2023: Kidnappers abduct 15 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Ihiala, Anambra.
28 February 2023: Nine children were kidnapped by a 16-year-old teenager in Lagos State.
25 March 2023: Two children were abducted in the Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State.
2 April 2023: Bandits abduct two students in Bungudu, Zamfara.
8 April 2023: Bandits abduct over 80 children between the ages of 12 and 17 in the Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
3 April 2023: Eight students of the Government Secondary School, Awon, in Kachia LGA, and an unspecified number of residents in Kaduna State were kidnapped.
21 April 2023: Gunmen abduct a student of a polytechnic in Enugu State.
4 April 2023: At least 10 students of Government Secondary School in Kaduna State were abducted during an attack
16 May 2023: Kidnappers abduct about five National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Emuoha, Rivers.
27 May 2023: Kidnappers abduct four children in Njaba, Imo.
14 June 2023: Gunmen abduct seven students of the University of Jos.
24 August 2023: Gunmen attack a school, killing one and kidnapping seven students and one teacher in Chikun, Kaduna.
22 September 2023: 24 female students were abducted from their hostel at the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara, Nigeria.
26 September 2023: Gunmen abduct a student of Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
4 October 2023: Suspected terrorists kidnap five female students of the Federal University in Katsina
10 October 2023: Gunmen abduct four Nasarawa Varsity students
30 January 2024: Gunmen abduct six pupils + teachers from a school bus of Apostolic Faith School in Ekiti State.
7 March 2024: About 287 pupils were kidnapped from LEA School in Kuriga, Kaduna State.
9 March 2024: 15 pupils abducted from a Tsangaya (Islamic) school in Gidan Bakuso, Gada LGA, Sokoto State.
17 November 2025: Bandits kidnap 25 students from Government Girls Secondary School, Kebbi State
21 November 2025: Terrorists raid a Nigerian Catholic school, kidnap 303 students.
