Former Minister of Information and elder statesman, Prof. Jerry Gana, has raised alarm that the recent surge in school kidnappings across Northern Nigeria may be linked to fears among armed groups that they could soon be targeted by foreign military action.
Speaking at a reception in Abuja celebrating the elevation of Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, to Chairman of the World Customs Organisation — as well as a fundraising dinner for the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations — Gana warned that bandits appear to be using abducted schoolchildren as “human shields.”
According to him, a credible source suggested that President Donald Trump’s recent threats to target armed groups in Nigeria may have triggered panic among bandit networks.
He said, “It should become extremely worrying, especially for elders, statesmen, and fathers of the nation to see younger ones being abducted here and there
“Somebody phoned me just before I came here to say that it would appear that the bandits are taking the threat from the president of the United States seriously. Therefore, it would appear that they are now mobilising human shields to protect them.
“Therefore, those of you who are very close to security agencies here should tell them they (bandits) know that they are being targeted.”
He added that the pattern of attacks shows bandits withdrawing deeper into forests in anticipation of aerial strikes, noting that “technology has gone to a point where you can be targeted from the air.”
Gana urged the Nigerian government to strengthen intelligence-sharing and international partnerships, stressing the urgent need for sophisticated security responses.
Gana’s remarks come as global attention shifts sharply toward Nigeria’s worsening insecurity. Minister of Information, Idris Mohammed, revealed that international media organisations are already requesting updates on the number of victims abducted in recent attacks in Kebbi and Niger states.
“As I was sitting down there, I got about two text messages from some international press organisations asking me to confirm the number of people kidnapped in Agwara,” he said.
Idris assured that efforts to rescue abducted students are underway, emphasising President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to ending the crisis.
“The security agencies are working hard to ensure these children are reunited with their families,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to avoid reporting the country in negative light abroad, insisting that the security situation should not be misrepresented as affecting only one region.
International criticism of Nigeria’s security crisis has intensified. This week, U.S. Congressman Riley Moore warned that violence targeting Christian communities is “escalating out of control,” describing it as “now a genocide.” He warned that Washington may intervene if Abuja fails to act decisively.
Moore met with National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu on Wednesday to discuss counterterrorism efforts, days after the abduction of at least 24 students from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State. Similar incidents were also recorded in Niger State.
President Donald Trump recently warned that Christianity faces “an existential threat” in Nigeria, adding that any U.S. response could be “fast, vicious, and sweet.”
