Civil society organisations and campaigners have accused the federal government of failing to protect 81 Nigerian pupils abducted by terrorists, saying any government that cannot protect children has failed in its primary job.
The groups, in a statement after the 2026 Children’s Day celebration, lamented that while Nigeria marked the annual event meant to celebrate children and reflect on their future, dozens of pupils remained in captivity with little sign of urgent government action to secure their release, Vanguard reports.
The groups said: “Wednesday, May 27, 2026, was Children’s Day in Nigeria, an annual holiday to celebrate Nigeria’s children and reflect on government’s efforts towards building a thriving future for the new generation.
“Sadly, while we observe this year’s celebration, not less than 81 Nigerian school children are languishing in captivity.
“Among these are 39 primary and secondary school pupils and seven teachers who were abducted by terrorists right inside their schools in Oyo State. A few days ago, one of the professors, Mr. Oyedokun Olugbade was beheaded.
Similarly, 42 more children were abducted on the 15th of May, 2026, by suspected Boko Haram militants during a raid on Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
On the occasion of this year’s Children’s Day celebration, one can question President Bola Tinubu: In which our children are kidnapped? Why haven’t they ever been found?
Unfortunately, since the sad abduction, the government of Nigeria, at both the federal and state levels, has largely continued to do business as usual, delivering occasional empty words of reassurance while doing virtually little to recover our beautiful children.
We say this because we know very well from our experience as civil society activists who have been constantly subjected to hostile surveillance that Nigeria’s government and its security agencies have the capacity to locate anyone anywhere inside the territory of the nation.
So the question is why aren’t we using this cutting edge surveillance technology to get our children back?
“Why can’t President Tinubu use the same firepower and reconnaissance capacity that he so easily used in December last year to thwart, on behalf of France, a coup against former President Talon of the Republic of Benin?
“Unfortunately, the government does not have a good answer. Just like former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014 when the Chibok girls were abducted, President Tinubu seems bewildered on what to do to curtail the raging insecurity engulfing Nigeria.
“We are seeing the same nonchalance and lack of concern that we saw during the Jonathan years. As of now, Tinubu, his ministers and members of the National Assembly had no qualms about frolicking at their recent party primaries while over 81 children remain trapped in terrorists’ dens.
“Elections are very important but the life of the average Nigerian and his welfare are more important. A government that can’t deliver this is a failed government. Such a government has no moral right to call upon its constituents to vote for it at the next election.
The groups also called on Nigerians, organised labour, the youths and civil society organisations to go on peaceful nationwide protests to demand for the rescue of all abducted Nigerians and enhanced security across the country.
The statement was signed by rapper and activist, Falz (Folarin Falana); Hassan Soweto of the Organising Committee, #EndBadGovernanceMovement, Lagos State; Mike Igaga, Executive Director,Moses Oisakede, Leadership Foundation; Yusha’u Yankuzo, Organising Secretary, Nigeria Patriotic Front Movement, NPFM; Rufus Olusesan, President of the Precision, Electrical and Related Equipment Senior Staff Association, PERESSA; Segun Oladunni of the Joint Action Front, JAF; Jonathan Ugbal, Lead, Calabar Group of Socialists and others.
Richard Inoyo, Country Director, Citizens Solution Network; Salako Kayode of the Revolutionary Socialist Movement, RSM; Omole Ibukun of the Centre for Creative Change, C4; Adaramoye Michael, National Coordinator, Youth Rights Campaign, YRC; Oluwaseyi A. Akinde of the Committee for Defence of Human Rights and organising member of the #EndBadGovernanceMovement; Abdullah Bilal of the Solidarity Network for Workers Rights, SNWR; Daniel Akande, member of the #EndBadGovernanceMovement, FCT-Abuja; and Hauwa Mustapha of the Movement for the Transformation of Nigeria, MOTiON.
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