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Nigeria has continued to move on as a nation while its children languish in kidnappers’ dens and forests for years, opposition leader Peter Obi has said, as outrage mounts over a wave of mass kidnappings.
Obi said the continuous abduction of Nigerian schoolchildren represents a national shame for a country that cannot protect its children from criminals.
In a short statement on Wednesday marking Children’s Day, Obi said his heart remained “heavy and troubled” knowing that some Nigerian children have been held captive for years.
“It is a shame that days, weeks, months, and even years have passed while our children continue to languish in kidnappers’ dens, with their heartbreaking images still circulating on social media,” said Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
“A nation that cannot protect its children from criminals has little but shame to present to the global community.”
Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, said no parent could bear the shame of failing to protect their children.
“Yet here we are as a nation, moving on while our children continue to suffer in forests and captivity for years,” he added.
CONTINUOUS ABDUCTION OF NIGERIAN SCHOOLCHILDREN AND THE COLLAPSE OF SCHOOL SAFETY
After congratulating Nigerian children as they celebrate their day today, my heart remains heavy and troubled, knowing that some Nigerian children have remained in captivity for years. It is a…
— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) May 27, 2026
The Nigerian government has faced mounting criticism over rising insecurity and a spate of school abductions, particularly in the northwest and north-central regions.
On May 15, a raid on three schools in Oyo State resulted in the abduction of about 39 students and seven teachers. One of the victims, mathematics teacher Michael Oyedokun, was later beheaded. Several other victims remain in captivity.
In Borno State, 42 students and children were abducted from a school in Askira-Uba Local Government Area on the same day, according to Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume.
