The Nigeria Union of Teachers in Kogi State has called the spate of kidnappings targeting schools an outright embarrassment and a direct threat to the survival of the education sector. The union's chairman, Titus O. Abah, made the remarks at a press conference in Okene on Friday, saying criminal gangs had turned schools into lucrative hunting grounds.
Union chief speaks out against school attacks
Abah, who leads the Kogi State wing of the NUT, said teachers and students were living in constant fear. "We cannot continue like this," he told reporters. "Our members are afraid to go to work. Some have already stopped showing up because they do not feel safe." The union has demanded immediate action from both state and federal authorities to secure school premises and arrest those responsible.
Recent incidents fuel growing panic
The union's statement comes after at least three reported kidnapping attempts near schools in the central parts of Kogi State over the past two months. In one case in March, gunmen stormed a secondary school compound in Ogidi, firing shots before fleeing when security guards raised the alarm. No students were taken, but two teachers sustained injuries. Parents across the state have since kept children at home, creating empty classrooms and mounting frustration.
Parents pull children from schools
Schools in the Ida and Okene areas have recorded a sharp drop in attendance. One parent in Okene, who gave her name as Hauwa, said she had not sent her three children to school in three weeks. "I cannot risk losing them," she said. "Until the government fixes this, they stay at home." The impact extends beyond individual families. Local education officials in Kogi Central say enrollment figures have dipped by an estimated 15 percent since January.
Teachers threaten strike action
The NUT has warned that its members could down tools if security does not improve within 30 days. Abah said a formal ultimatum had been submitted to the Kogi State Government. "We have been patient," he stated. "But patience has limits. If nothing changes, we will have no choice but to withdraw our services." A widespread teachers' strike would disrupt learning for thousands of pupils ahead of end-of-term examinations scheduled for June.
State government responds
Kogi State's Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Rodney O. Amawa, acknowledged the concerns in a separate statement. He said the government was working with security agencies to increase patrols around school zones. "We take the safety of our teachers and students very seriously," Amawa stated. He added that the state had begun installing CCTV cameras and panic buttons at 40 selected schools across the three senatorial districts.
Wider pattern raises alarm
Kogi is not alone. Nigeria has seen a wave of school kidnappings in recent years, particularly in the north and central states. The most infamous case remains the 2020 abduction of more than 270 students from Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State. Experts say that incident opened the floodgates, emboldening criminal networks to view schools as soft targets. In Kogi, the threat has intensified since 2023, with at least two teachers killed in separate incidents near Lokoja and Kabba.
What happens next
The 30-day ultimatum issued by the NUT expires in late May. If the government fails to show concrete improvements in school security by then, the union has said it will announce a date for a full strike. Parents, meanwhile, say they will keep children at home until they see visible change. The state education ministry says it plans to hold a town hall meeting in Lokoja next month to address community concerns directly. That event will be watched closely by families across the state.
Experts say that incident opened the floodgates, emboldening criminal networks to view schools as soft targets. The state education ministry says it plans to hold a town hall meeting in Lokoja next month to address community concerns directly.
