Northern Governors Kidnapping Crisis: 19 Leaders Hold Emergency Meeting Over Rising School Abductions
Published: November 25, 2025 | Location: Kaduna, NigeriaNorthern Governors Kidnapping Crisis Forces Emergency Action
The announcement of the regional meeting was confirmed by Peter Ahemba, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, who explained that the Northern Governors Kidnapping Crisis has reached a level where immediate intervention is unavoidable. According to Ahemba, Saturday’s meeting will focus on tackling kidnapping networks, strengthening intelligence operations, improving school protection systems, and possible collaboration with regional security outfits.Ahemba added that Governor Sule abruptly ended his attendance at the G20 Summit in South Africa to return home and address the emergency. Upon arrival, he chaired a security meeting in Lafia involving military, police, and community leaders to prevent further attacks.School Attacks Trigger Closures Across Northern States
The Northern Governors Kidnapping Crisis escalated sharply after a series of recent attacks on educational institutions. In Kebbi State, gunmen invaded the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, killing the vice principal and abducting 24 female students. The attack sparked national outrage and renewed calls for stronger security.Just days later, another large-scale abduction occurred in Papiri, Niger State, where gunmen stormed St. Mary’s Catholic Schools and took away over 300 students and staff members. About 50 students managed to escape, but the majority remain missing, and families continue to protest the government’s response.In reaction to the spreading fear, the Bauchi State Government ordered the immediate closure of all primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions, citing credible intelligence reports of planned attacks. The Rector of Federal Polytechnic Bauchi also confirmed the suspension of academic activities until adequate security is guaranteed.South-West States Demand State Police to Fight Kidnapping
Meanwhile, governors in the South-West region convened their own security meeting and declared full support for the establishment of state police, arguing that centralized policing is no longer effective against organized bandit networks. Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, speaking on behalf of the forum, stated that the current national security structure fails to protect citizens sufficiently from growing threats.The South-West meeting produced new action steps including the creation of a regional security fund, the deployment of forest guards, and the setup of a real-time intelligence-sharing system. The forum urged the Federal Government to take bold steps before the Northern Governors Kidnapping Crisis spreads further into other regions.National Reactions and Human Rights Concerns
Security experts, academic unions, and human rights organizations have expressed concern that continuous school shutdowns will damage Nigeria’s education sector more than prior crises. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Nigeria Union of Teachers said closing schools is not a sustainable response, insisting that government must secure learning spaces instead of surrendering them to criminals.Amnesty International Nigeria warned that the Northern Governors Kidnapping Crisis could permanently discourage children, especially girls, from pursuing education. Rights groups emphasise that trauma and fear will have long-term social consequences unless mental health and community support programmes are rolled out alongside security interventions.In conclusion
The upcoming meeting in Kaduna is expected to produce decisive security measures that will determine the next phase of response to the Northern Governors Kidnapping Crisis. Unless aggressive action is taken now, experts warn that northern education, local economies, and national stability may face irreversible damage. The nation waits anxiously for solutions capable of ending the cycle of fear, violence, and trauma caused by repeated student kidnappings.Latest Updates
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Article Source: Punch Newspaper Report on Kidnapping Crisis