School abductions are national disgrace, crime against humanity — NSCIA

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has strongly condemned the persistent abduction and killing of schoolchildren across Nigeria, labeling these acts a "national disgrace" and a "crime against humanity." This condemnation follows a recent terrorist attack on the Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, Borno state, where a teacher was killed and numerous students and staff were abducted.

The attack has reignited fears regarding the safety of educational institutions in insurgency-affected regions, where students and educators remain vulnerable despite ongoing military operations. In a statement, the NSCIA, led by its President-General Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, denounced the attack, emphasizing that terrorism remains a significant security threat requiring a decisive, coordinated national response.

“

The Council is of the strong opinion that the unconscionable acts of kidnapping and murder of schoolchildren constitute a despicable crime against humanity. That these unfortunate incidents have continued to reoccur is a national disgrace that strikes at the very heart of Nigeria’s future and must be stopped immediately.

"The Council is of the strong opinion that the unconscionable acts of kidnapping and murder of schoolchildren constitute a despicable crime against humanity," stated Abbas Jimoh, the Public Affairs Officer. "That these unfortunate incidents have continued to reoccur is a national disgrace that strikes at the very heart of Nigeria’s future and must be stopped immediately."

“

This demonstrates that terrorists continue to adapt their methods and exploit security gaps. Therefore, intelligence gathering, surveillance, inter-agency cooperation, and community-based early warning mechanisms must be significantly strengthened to reduce the vulnerability of our compatriots to terrorists’ attacks.

The council highlighted that the Lassa attack occurred shortly after the May 15 abduction of 42 pupils from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in the same local government area. It also recalled the kidnapping of 49 pupils and their teachers in Oriire Local Government Area on the same day, noting that many victims are still being held captive. The NSCIA observed that attackers exploited Lassa’s market day to infiltrate the community, a tactic demonstrating the adaptive methods of terrorist groups and their exploitation of security vulnerabilities.

To counter these threats, the NSCIA urged strengthening intelligence gathering, surveillance, inter-agency cooperation, and community-based early warning systems. The council also recommended that governments adopt technology-driven security measures, citing Enugu State's recent upgrade of its security architecture, which includes an AI-powered Command and Control Centre, surveillance drones, and AI-enabled patrol vehicles. While commending troops of Operation HADIN KAI for rescuing some abducted individuals, the NSCIA insisted the operation must continue until all remaining victims are safely returned to their families.

“

must not cease until every abducted child and member of staff are rescued alive and reunited with their families.