A mother and her three children have staged a symbolic protest in Abuja over the growing wave of school abductions across Nigeria, adding fresh pressure on authorities to strengthen security around educational institutions and secure the release of kidnapped pupils.
The peaceful demonstration, which took place in the Maitama district of the Federal Capital Territory, was captured in a video that circulated widely on social media on Monday. Dressed in school uniforms and carrying placards, the children stood beside their mother as she voiced concerns shared by many Nigerian parents worried about the safety of their children.
Speaking during the protest, the visibly emotional mother said fear had become a daily reality for families sending children to school.
“I am afraid of taking my children to school because of what is happening. I am scared it is not safe,” she said.
The protest comes amid renewed national anxiety over a series of school-related abductions that have reignited memories of previous mass kidnappings in different parts of the country.
In recent weeks, attacks on schools in Oyo State and reported abductions in other parts of the country have intensified calls for stronger security measures around schools.
The Abuja protester appealed directly to government authorities to prioritise the rescue of children still in captivity and take urgent steps to prevent future attacks on educational institutions.
The demonstration also followed reports of the rescue of relatives of a former minister who were abducted while travelling to school, a development that further highlighted the vulnerability of students and parents on school routes.
Social media users reacted strongly to the video, with many describing the scene as both heartbreaking and necessary.
Several commentators argued that no parent should have to worry about whether their child would return home safely after school, while others called for broader civic action to compel authorities to address the worsening security situation.
The issue of school safety has increasingly become a national concern more than a decade after the Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction drew global attention to attacks on educational institutions in Nigeria.
Despite multiple government interventions over the years, kidnapping for ransom and school-targeted attacks remain persistent challenges in several regions.
President Bola Tinubu has repeatedly pledged that his administration will intensify efforts against terrorism, banditry and kidnapping. Following recent school abductions in Oyo State, the Federal Government approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards and ordered the deployment of specialised security teams to support rescue operations.
Several state governments have also expanded forest guard programmes and local security initiatives aimed at improving surveillance in vulnerable communities.
Security analysts say the Abuja protest reflects growing public frustration and anxiety over the safety of children in schools. They note that beyond rescue efforts, restoring public confidence will require sustained security operations, intelligence gathering and stronger protection for educational facilities across the country.
For many parents, however, the issue remains deeply personal. The image of a mother standing beside her school-age children with placards in hand has become a powerful symbol of a nation still searching for answers to a crisis that continues to threaten one of the most basic expectations of every family—the ability to send a child to school and expect them home safely.
