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A mother and her three children staged a peaceful roadside protest in Abuja’s Maitama district, drawing attention to the growing wave of school abductions and the fears confronting parents across Nigeria.
The demonstration, captured in a video shared by ARISE TV on X on Monday, quickly gained traction online, sparking widespread reactions and renewed calls for stronger security measures around schools.
Dressed in school uniforms and carrying placards demanding the rescue of kidnapped pupils, the children stood quietly beside their mother as she voiced concerns over the safety of school-going children in the country.
Speaking during the protest, the woman said she was increasingly worried about sending her children to school amid recurring reports of kidnappings.
“I am afraid of taking my children to school because of what is happening. I am scared it is not safe,” she said, reflecting the anxiety felt by many parents nationwide.
She urged the Federal Government and security agencies to take urgent steps to secure schools and ensure the safe return of pupils currently held captive by abductors.
The protest comes against the backdrop of recent incidents involving schoolchildren and other victims of kidnapping across several parts of the country, including Oyo and Borno states.
Online reactions to the video highlighted growing public concern over insecurity and the need for decisive action to protect students.
One social media user, identified as RightKlick_G, described the protest as both heartbreaking and necessary, stressing that no parent should have to fear for the safety of a child attending school.
Another user, thepsalmistt, suggested that a larger public demonstration involving pupils could compel authorities to deploy additional security personnel to vulnerable schools.
A third commenter, macofbillions, joined calls for the release of abducted schoolchildren, echoing demands for stronger intervention by the government.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s determination to combat insecurity and secure the freedom of all persons held by terrorists and bandits across the country.
As part of ongoing efforts to tackle the menace, the President recently approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards in Oyo State to support operations aimed at rescuing abducted teachers and pupils from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area.
Several states, including Kebbi, Gombe, Kwara, Kaduna, Edo, Imo, Bayelsa and Anambra, have also intensified the training and deployment of forest guards under the Federal Government-backed security initiative designed to strengthen surveillance and protect vulnerable communities.
