Terrorists call FG’s bluff, attack more schools, churches, abduct scores

… FG under U.S pressure to end ‘Christian Genocide’

Nigeria’s worsening security crisis continued over the weekend, with multiple attacks in some states, leaving five policemen dead, several communities traumatised, and at least 12 women abducted by suspected Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State.

In Borno, suspected Boko Haram fighters abducted 12 women in Mussa district of Askira-Uba Local Government Area on Saturday. The victims were seized around 5 p.m. as they returned from their farms. In a separate incident, insurgents launched a two-hour midnight attack on Magumeri Local Government Area, also in Borno. The attackers arrived around 1:15 a.m. on motorcycles, shooting intermittently and torching houses, vehicles, and shops.

In Bauchi State, five police officers were killed and two injured on Saturday after a tactical team on patrol was ambushed near Sabon Sara village in Darazo Local Government Area.

This is as terrorists’ in different parts of Nigeria seem to be calling the bluff of Federal Government that there is no Christian genocide by escalating violence across Nigeria, which has plunged communities into fear and grief, exposing glaring gaps in security and sparking renewed international attention.

Since President Donald Trump of United States classified Nigeria as “Country of Concern” the government has been making spirited effort to disprove such sentiment by insisting on the falsehood of such policy, but the terrorists think differently by unleashing unprecedented violence across the country.
From mass abductions in schools to deadly attacks on churches, and the killing of high ranking military officers, the country is grappling with an intensifying cycle of terror that experts warn is straining both state capacity and public trust.

In Niger State, the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora at the weekend raised alarm over the rapidly rising number of missing students following a brutal raid on St. Mary’s Secondary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area. What initially was reported as 215 missing students has now surged to 303, including staff members, after armed men stormed the school in the early hours of Friday, abducting pupils and teachers alike. Eyewitnesses recalled how attackers, some believed to be Fulani herdsmen, shot the security guard before forcing their way into boarding facilities.

Govt., Church Clash

Many parents, who rushed to the school in panic, were unable to locate their children, heightening fears that some may have fled into the surrounding bushlands amid the chaos. Business Hallmark Trust had earlier reported that the assailants arrived on over 60 motorcycles, moving with remarkable speed and coordination.

The Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, disputed claims by the Niger State Government that the school had ignored prior warnings to shut down boarding facilities.

“No circular or verbal communication was ever delivered to the school or the Catholic Education Board,” said the Bishop. He added that the National Association of Private Schools similarly denied receiving any directives from state authorities. “We are law-abiding,” he stressed, calling on the government to clarify how such claims were made.

The attack comes just a few days after 25 schoolgirls were abducted in Maga, Kebbi State, a crisis that claimed the life of the school’s vice-principal, Malam Hassan Makuku.

Senior lawyer and rights advocate, Chief Goddy Uwazurike, condemned the abductions as a grave assault on Nigeria’s sovereignty, arguing that little has changed since the 2014 Chibok abductions. “The recurring pattern of school kidnappings and deadly attacks shows that Nigeria has made no progress,” Uwazurike said. He criticized security lapses, including intelligence failures and ineffective military checkpoints, while calling for urgent and decisive action by federal and state governments.

The Federal Government has scrambled to respond to the growing threats. On November 21, the Ministry of Education ordered the immediate closure of 41 Federal Unity Colleges nationwide, spanning the North-West, North-East, North-Central, and parts of the South. Bauchi, Kebbi and Plateau State also shut all primary and junior secondary schools, while Taraba State instructed all boarding secondary schools to operate strictly as day schools. These measures reflect a mounting concern over targeted attacks on educational institutions, particularly in northern Nigeria, and underscore a widening climate of fear for students and teachers alike.

“Federal government’s closure of 47 unity schools is exactly what Boko Haram wants,” warned Mrs. Josephine Chukwuma, an activist and public affairs commentator. “This is not a solution. It’s yet another problem.”
In Kwara State, the violence has extended beyond schools. On November 18, gunmen stormed a branch of the Christ Apostolic Church in Oke-Isegba, Eruku, during a thanksgiving service organized to celebrate the recent rescue of previously abducted members.

Three worshippers were killed and about 38 men, women, and children abducted. The abductees, to everyone’s relief, have been rescued. But eyewitnesses described a scene of terror during the assault, with families helpless as the attackers forced victims into nearby bushland. Some residents accused local police of negligence, claiming officers even deployed tear gas to prevent youths from pursuing the bandits.

The kidnappers reportedly began contacting families to demand ransoms of N100 million per victim. By weekend they had reduced the ransom to N20m per victim. Traditional rulers, church officials, and community leaders had appealed for urgent government intervention. Oba Busari Olarewaju, the Owa of Eruku, welcomed the deployment of soldiers following the state governor’s visit but insisted that more must be done to ensure the safe rescue of the victims.

Impact On Farmers

The following day, four rice farmers were abducted from Bokungi village in Edu Local Government Area, Kwara State, illustrating the growing reach of armed groups. Witnesses said the attackers operated unhindered, encircling and forcibly removing the victims while the surrounding communities evacuated for safety. The relentless wave of abductions has disrupted farming activities during harvest season, threatening livelihoods in addition to personal safety.

Kebbi State, too, remains a hotspot for school attacks. The Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Maga saw 25 female students kidnapped, and the vice-principal killed, in what observers described as a coordinated raid. Residents and legal observers like Uwazurike criticized the lack of effective military intelligence and perimeter security, highlighting the ease with which the attackers traversed long distances in large convoys of motorcycles.

Pressure From U.S

Amidst these domestic crises, the United States has intensified pressure on Nigeria over the treatment of Christian communities. U.S Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth met with Nigeria’s National Security Adviser and top officials to discuss joint operations and intelligence-sharing to counter groups like Boko Haram. The discussions occurred against a backdrop of escalating violence targeting Christians, with more than 218 killed in 2025 alone and over 53,000 fatalities since 2009, largely affecting Christian communities as well.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar criticized the Federal Government for its failure to protect citizens and called for the declaration of a state of emergency on insecurity. “Not again. This is truly heartbreaking. How many more lives must be shattered before decisive action is taken?” he asked, emphasizing the urgent need for government intervention.

President Bola Tinubu responded by halting planned foreign trips, including attendance at the G20 Summit in Johannesburg and the AU-EU Summit in Luanda, to focus on domestic security crises.

Tinubu directed the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to relocate to Kebbi to oversee rescue operations, while also ordering the deployment of additional security personnel to Kwara State following the church attack in Eruku. The presidency stressed that updates would follow after security agencies briefed the President on ongoing operations.

In the northeast, the death of Brigadier General Musa Uba in Borno State during an ambush by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants further underscores the deteriorating security situation. Conflicting reports from the Army and ISWAP have caused public confusion, while public figures, such as Atiku and civil society actors, have condemned perceived lapses in military preparedness and leadership accountability.

No Hiding Place

Meanwhile, the southwestern economic landscape is not immune. On November 21, two Chinese workers were abducted from the 24 Hours Quarry along the Oru-Ijebu–Ijebu-Ode Expressway in Ogun State. Eyewitnesses described hiding amid gunfire, with some identifying the assailants as Fulani herdsmen. The attack has raised alarms over the safety of foreign investments and industrial sites, illustrating how banditry is beginning to extend beyond traditional northern strongholds.

In the Southeast, the home region of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, who was on Thursday sentenced to life in prison for terrorism, uneasy calm pervades, amid ever present threat of gunmen violence and kidnapping.
The mounting attacks have prompted nationwide anxiety, particularly in school communities. Parents, church members, and local leaders express fear and frustration over what they perceive as weak security responses. Eyewitnesses from Kwara, Niger, and Kebbi states, recount how terrorists operated with little resistance, exploiting intelligence and logistical gaps. Families continue to negotiate ransoms under duress, highlighting the human toll of repeated kidnappings and the moral strain on communities struggling to safeguard loved ones.

Civil society and religious organisations are vocal in their condemnation. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) described the attacks as “heartbreaking” and reflective of a broader pattern of insecurity targeting vulnerable populations. Church and community leaders are calling for immediate, coordinated government action to prevent further mass abductions, killings, and societal trauma.

Analysts warn that unless Nigeria addresses both local and systemic weaknesses in security coordination, intelligence-gathering, and rapid response mechanisms, these incidents will continue to escalate. The interplay of armed bandits, extremist insurgents, and organized criminal networks presents a complex challenge, exacerbated by political pressures, inadequate resources, and regional disparities in security enforcement.
The renewed pattern of school kidnappings, attacks on worshippers, and assaults on economic sites paints a grim picture of Nigeria’s current security environment. With international scrutiny intensifying and domestic outrage mounting, the Federal Government faces growing pressure to not only rescue victims but also implement preventive measures to restore public confidence.

As dusk falls over affected communities, the shadow of insecurity continues to loom large. From Eruku to Maga, from Papiri to Ogun State, ordinary Nigerians live in fear that another attack is just a night away. For parents, teachers, worshippers, and workers, the urgent question remains: will the government act decisively, or will the cycle of terror continue to dominate daily life, leaving communities and institutions perpetually vulnerable?

Observers warn that until the country demonstrates tangible improvements in security measures, coordination, and accountability, these acts of terror will likely persist, leaving Nigeria at a crossroads between urgent action and normalized crisis.