Nigeria Frees 100 Abducted Schoolchildren

Does the rescue show emergency measures delivering results, or is the government still losing the wider war on terror?

Published 3 hours ago

Nigeria Frees 100 Abducted Schoolchildren

story

Above: A deserted classroom at the Government Girls Secondary School in Jangebe, on Feb. 27, 2021. Image credit: Kola Sulaimon/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-government narrative

That a further 100 schoolgirls are free is the direct result of the government’s emergency measures, including recruiting 50,000 police officers, deploying forest guards, and coordinating multi-state rescue operations. President Tinubu declared a nationwide security emergency, ordered mass recruitment across the armed forces, and oversaw the latest successful release. Together, these steps show authorities are taking the crisis seriously and working methodically to dismantle criminal networks while protecting vulnerable communities.

Al Jazeera APAnews arabnews.com

Government-critical narrative

Kidnapping has exploded into a national crisis that shows the government is losing the war against terror. With over 1,680 schoolchildren abducted since 2014 and Nigeria now ranked 8th globally for kidnappings, security forces appear overwhelmed as bandits operate with impunity across vast, under-policed regions. The Safe Schools Initiative has failed despite major funding, exposing corruption and negligence while armed groups turn classrooms into hunting grounds. The administration offers empty promises instead of decisive action.

Opinion Nigeria Eurasia Review