Amnesty International Nigeria has accused the Federal Government of failing to effectively tackle the growing wave of kidnappings and attacks targeting school children, rural communities and displaced persons across the country.
The rights organisation made the allegation in a statement issued on Sunday following recent abductions in Oyo State and Borno State that affected dozens of students, teachers and residents.
According to Amnesty International, at least 1,100 people were abducted across Nigeria between January and April 2026, reflecting what it described as worsening insecurity and failure by authorities to adequately protect vulnerable communities.
The organization shared the statement on its official X handle amid growing public concern over repeated attacks on schools and communities in different parts of the country.
“President Bola Tinubu and his government have failed to address the country’s shocking spate of abductions targeting school children, rural communities and internally displaced persons across the country,” the organization stated.
Amnesty said the rising number of kidnappings showed that many Nigerians, especially children in rural communities, remained exposed to violence despite repeated promises by the government to improve security.
The group’s criticism comes shortly after gunmen attacked schools in Ahoro Esinele community in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
During the attack, 39 students and seven teachers were reportedly abducted by armed men who invaded the area.
Reports from the community also claimed that a teacher identified as Michael Oyedokun was beheaded during the incident, further increasing public outrage over the attack.
The Oyo incident shocked many Nigerians because the South-West region had previously been considered relatively safer compared to parts of the North-East and North-West battling insurgency and banditry.
However, recent months have witnessed increasing reports of kidnappings, attacks on villages and insecurity spreading into more communities across the region.
Amnesty International also referred to another recent attack in Borno State, where suspected Boko Haram insurgents reportedly abducted 42 pupils and students from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area.
The attack in Borno again raised concerns about the continued vulnerability of schools in areas affected by insurgency.
For more than a decade, schools in parts of Northern Nigeria have remained targets of attacks by insurgents, bandits and armed criminal groups.
The most globally recognised case occurred in 2014 when Boko Haram militants abducted more than 200 schoolgirls from Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State.
Since then, several mass abductions have taken place in states including Kaduna, Niger, Zamfara, Katsina and Sokoto.
Although many victims have later regained freedom through rescue operations or negotiations, security experts say the repeated attacks continue to create fear among parents, students and teachers.
In its latest statement, Amnesty International said survivors of abductions often face severe hardship and abuse while in captivity.
According to the organisation, victims have reported experiences of starvation, torture, beatings, flogging and sexual violence.
The rights group argued that the repeated attacks on schools show that authorities have not done enough to end the long-running crisis.
“Over a decade is enough time for the Nigerian authorities to find a solution to this horrifying problem,” the organisation said.
It further stated that “the reality shows, the government has neither the will nor the commitment to end rampant abductions and attacks on children and their schools.”
Amnesty urged Nigerian authorities to fulfil their obligations under national and international laws protecting children’s rights to education, safety and protection from violence.
The organisation also called for stronger measures to secure schools, rural communities and camps housing internally displaced persons.
Nigeria has battled several security challenges in recent years, including terrorism in the North-East, banditry in the North-West, farmer-herder clashes in the North-Central and rising kidnapping activities across many states.
Kidnapping for ransom has especially become a major concern nationwide, with criminal groups increasingly targeting schools, highways, villages and religious centres.
Many communities have repeatedly complained about inadequate security presence and delayed response during attacks.
The Federal Government has consistently maintained that security agencies are working to address the problem through military operations, intelligence gathering and deployment of additional personnel to troubled areas.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has also repeatedly assured Nigerians that his administration remains committed to ending insecurity and protecting lives and property.
The Federal Government has in recent years introduced measures such as the Safe Schools Initiative aimed at improving protection around schools, especially in vulnerable regions.
However, critics argue that attacks continue because of weak implementation, shortage of security personnel and poor coordination among agencies.
Several schools in conflict-prone areas have previously been shut down temporarily following attacks or threats from armed groups.
The continued targeting of schools has also contributed to the growing number of out-of-school children in the country, already one of the highest globally.
Human rights groups and education advocates have repeatedly called on the government to prioritise school security, strengthen intelligence gathering and improve rapid emergency response systems.
The latest attacks in Oyo and Borno have again placed national attention on the safety of students and teachers, with many Nigerians demanding stronger action against kidnappers and insurgents.