In a bid to curb the rising tide of school abductions, Nigeria’s security agencies have launched a coordinated anti‑kidnap initiative that includes a three‑day training workshop for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The programme, backed by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), seeks to turn the country’s vast security footprint into a proactive, intelligence‑driven response to kidnappings that have plagued schools across the federation.
Since 2014, armed groups, bandits and insurgents have abducted thousands of students, with the most frequent attacks occurring in northern and central states where schools often lack adequate security. In November 2025, more than 300 pupils and staff were seized from a Catholic boarding school in Niger State, and in May 2026 gunmen abducted children and teachers in separate incidents in Oyo and Borno. Although subsequent operations rescued dozens of victims, the incidents highlighted the need for a more systematic approach than ad‑hoc rescues alone.
The NSCDC, a federal paramilitary agency under the Ministry of Interior, operates 63,000 personnel across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, covering 774 local government areas. Under Commandant‑General Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, the Corps has built an extensive operational footprint, but the complexity of modern kidnapping—where perpetrators move victims between jurisdictions—demands better coordination, intelligence sharing and community engagement.
The three‑day workshop, held under the umbrella of the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre (NSSRCC), brought together representatives from the NSCDC headquarters, the six geopolitical zones, high‑risk states and the Ministry of Education. Faculty included members of the Multi‑Agency Anti‑Kidnapping Fusion Cell, the NCTC’s Director of Intelligence, the Nigeria Police Force’s Anti‑Kidnap Unit in the FCT and facilitators from Decy‑4 Technologies. Participants were trained in human intelligence gathering, debriefing, citizen engagement and strategic communication to create a network of “intelligence nodes” capable of early warning and rapid response.
Between 2025 and 2026, the NCA had already supported training for 200 police officers and Department of State Services personnel on anti‑kidnapping fusion cells. The current workshop is positioned as a long‑term investment in prevention, aiming to strengthen coordination mechanisms that can deter abductions before they occur. As Nigeria approaches another election cycle, the urgency of protecting schools—soft targets attractive to criminal networks seeking money, publicity or political disruption—has never been greater.
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
