At least 1,409 students have been abducted from their schools by bandits since 2020, a non-governmental organization, Plan International Nigeria, has said.
It said the bandits also murdered 16 students during the period under review.
The organization revealed this in a statement on Sunday by its interim Country Director, Robert Komakech, to commemorate Nigeria’s 61st independence.
He said available records have shown that at least 1,409 students have been kidnapped from their schools across the country since 2020 and as many as 16 reported to have died or been murdered by the gangs.
He said as primary and secondary schools across Nigeria reopened for a new academic session, many children were unable to return to their classes due to “the unacceptable level of insecurity and abduction of students.”
The NGO urged the Federal Government to take concrete actions to end school abduction and make education safe for all as Nigeria prepares to host the fourth international conference on safe schools declaration this month.
