Reported by: L. Imafidon | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Abuja — Yabagi Yusuf Sani, the National Chairman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), has issued a stern critique of the Nigerian government’s handling of the recent mass abduction of schoolchildren in Niger State, accusing officials of obscuring critical details and withholding vital information from the public.
Sani said the lack of transparent communication by the government — particularly regarding the fate of abducted children and the outcomes of security operations — reflects a broader crisis of accountability that is deepening Nigeria’s ongoing security challenges. “If they were rescued, how many kidnappers were neutralised?” the ADP chairman asked, highlighting what he described as a troubling gap between official statements and public expectation for clear, factual updates. His remarks underscore mounting public frustration over the perceived secrecy surrounding high-profile security incidents.
The controversy stems from the kidnap of hundreds of schoolchildren and staff from St. Mary’s Catholic School in the Papiri community of Agwara Local Government Area in Niger State in late November. Armed gunmen stormed the school before dawn and seized more than 300 pupils and a dozen teachers in one of the largest abductions in recent Nigerian history, according to security data. Fifty students escaped in the immediate aftermath, and by mid-December, several groups of kidnapped pupils had been freed, with authorities announcing that all remaining hostages had been released following prolonged operations.
While official sources have claimed that the remaining abductees were freed through a military-intelligence-led operation, details about the rescue — including whether confrontations with kidnappers occurred or suspects were apprehended — remain limited or unclear. The government has not provided in-depth, publicly accessible information about how the final release was achieved, prompting questions among civil society leaders and families alike about the effectiveness and transparency of such operations.
Sani’s comments reflect these broader anxieties, particularly regarding how incidents of mass kidnapping are communicated to the public. He argued that vague or incomplete official disclosures breed uncertainty and erode trust, leaving citizens unsure of the true scale of security responses and protective measures. His reference to the government being “economical with the truth” alludes to a belief that authorities may be selectively sharing information, especially in high-stakes cases involving mass abductions and national security.
Critics of the government’s communication strategy also point to reports from parents and families who say they were kept in the dark about rescue efforts and received little official briefing on the status of their missing children during critical periods of the crisis. Some family members even reported severe stress and health impacts as they waited anxiously for news, with little clarity from authorities on progress or challenges in locating the abducted pupils.
The Niger State kidnapping incident has ignited intense debate across Nigeria about the credibility and responsiveness of security agencies, with many commentators saying that transparency is crucial not only to reassure affected families but also to strengthen public confidence in national institutions tasked with safeguarding lives. The attack followed another mass abduction in neighbouring Kebbi State, where 25 schoolgirls were seized by armed assailants days earlier, further amplifying national concern over the rising frequency of such incidents.
Sani’s critique also resonates with a wider discourse on governance and accountability in Nigeria, where citizens have increasingly called for officials to provide comprehensive, verifiable information during crises. This includes clear accounts of how security responses are executed, the true scale of threats faced, and the concrete outcomes of rescue operations, rather than partial or ambiguous statements that can fuel rumours or speculation.
In response to the kidnappings and public concern over government transparency, national leaders have emphasised ongoing efforts to coordinate security operations and improve protective measures for vulnerable communities. President Bola Tinubu and other federal officials have declared intensified security readiness and have vowed to bolster preventive strategies against armed banditry, which remains a persistent challenge across parts of the country. However, detailed public updates on specific rescue strategies have been scarce, leaving room for figures like Sani to press for more openness.
Sani’s call for transparent release of facts — including specifics on whether kidnappers were confronted or subdued — taps into a broader call among Nigerians for greater accountability and public trust in institutions charged with managing security crises. As such, his remarks reflect not only dissatisfaction with the handling of the Niger State abduction but also a deeper demand for honest government communication and tangible evidence of action in the face of recurring threats to public safety.
As Nigeria confronts overlapping security crises — from mass kidnappings to attacks on communities and travellers along major routes — voices like Sani’s underscore a critical expectation: that governments at all levels must be forthright with citizens, sharing facts and outcomes even when they are incomplete, difficult or politically sensitive. Only such openness, many analysts say, can reinforce public confidence and foster collective engagement in addressing the country’s complex security challenges.
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