The United States has issued a stern call to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, demanding the prompt arrest and prosecution of the bandits responsible for the recent mass abductions of schoolchildren in Kebbi and Niger States.
In a statement released on Monday via the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs on X, Washington condemned the spate of kidnappings and urged the Nigerian government to take decisive and uncompromising action against the perpetrators.
More than 300 students were abducted in separate attacks last week, sparking nationwide outrage and renewed concerns over school safety.
Several states have since ordered the temporary closure of schools as security agencies intensify rescue operations. A few students reportedly escaped over the weekend and reunited with their families.
However, the U.S. emphasized that rescue efforts alone are insufficient.
“The United States condemns the mass abduction of reportedly over 300 students and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, and the kidnapping, just days earlier, of 25 schoolgirls from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State.
Those responsible for these crimes must be swiftly captured and held accountable. The Nigerian government must act decisively and do more to protect Christians and ensure Nigerians can live, learn, and practice their religion freely without fear or terror,” the statement read.
The remarks follow recent criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, who blasted the Tinubu administration’s handling of insecurity. Speaking on Fox News Radio, Trump described the situation in Nigeria as “a disgrace.”
“I think Nigeria is a disgrace. The whole thing is a disgrace. They’re killing people by the thousands. It’s a genocide. And I’m really angry about it,” Trump said, warning that the U.S. may suspend financial assistance to Nigeria if the situation deteriorates further.
