Their lives were already filled with great hardship, living in camps for displaced people after fleeing their homes in Nigeria’s embattled northeast. On a recent day, around 200 of them risked going into the countryside to collect firewood, only to be kidnapped, as some officials reported.
Just a few days later, dozens of children were reportedly abducted from a primary school about 500 miles away in central Nigeria.
The responsible parties were unclear, and the security services have not made any statements. The first incident occurred in the region plagued by Boko Haram, a brutal Islamist group known for mass abductions. Residents mentioned that bandits were behind the second incident.
Both incidents shared common elements: they involved some of the most vulnerable members of society and highlighted the failure of Nigeria’s governments and armed forces to bring peace and stability to a troubled land.
Parts of Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, are plagued by crime and violence. The 15-year-old Boko Haram insurgency in the north continues to cause chaos. The abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok a decade ago by Boko Haram still haunts the nation; 98 of the girls are still missing.
Last year, over 3,600 people were reported abducted in Nigeria, the highest number in five years according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project. However, the actual number is likely much higher as many incidents go unreported.
Details regarding the two recent mass abductions remain unclear.
The first incident took place in Borno state, at the heart of the Boko Haram insurgency. More than two million people across the northeast have been displaced, seeking refuge in camps in garrison towns defended by the Nigerian military. They struggle to survive while jihadist groups operate beyond the trenches surrounding the towns.
The people abducted in Borno, mostly women and children, ventured out from Ngala town near the Cameroon border to collect firewood to sell, according to the United Nations’ humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria. He mentioned they were taken by an armed group, who released some older women and children under 10.
The exact number of abducted individuals remains unknown but is estimated to be over 200, according to the coordinator.
The representative for Ngala in the House of Representatives stated that around 300 individuals were abducted, urging the security services to free them. However, the governor of Borno State cautioned that the numbers might be exaggerated, suggesting that some of the purported abductees could have willingly joined the militants.
The governor emphasized that the incident was about recruitment for militant groups, as they seek new members and women. The abduction occurred a week ago, but news of it only spread days later.
Venturing beyond the protective trenches around the towns comes with great risk, with rampant killings, abductions, forced recruitment, and gender-based violence, according to the UN coordinator. The authorities need to provide better support to displaced people to prevent them from risking their lives to collect firewood.
Despite the economic hardships faced by displaced communities, Governor Zulum stated that the government’s resources were already stretched thin. He has been closing camps and relocating displaced individuals, even in areas with inadequate security.
The abduction in Kuriga, Kaduna State, took place at a school that had recently moved to the town for improved security. Armed men appeared after the morning assembly and led the children into a nearby forest.
As of Thursday afternoon, there was no official statement from authorities regarding the abduction, but a senator mentioned that up to 232 students could have been taken, expressing optimism for their safe return.
Nigeria, with a diverse population of over 200 million people, faces various security challenges, including conflicts between herdsmen and farmers, separatist movements, piracy, and violence related to oil theft, along with jihadist insurgencies like Boko Haram’s. Kidnapping is a common feature in these issues, often motivated by ransom payments.
Ransoms can be paid in cash, food, or medicine. Many of the Chibok girls were released in exchange for hefty ransoms.
Ismail Alfa contributed reporting from Maiduguri, Nigeria.
