As Nigeria observes International Human Rights Day and concludes the 2025 Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, a prominent civil society organisation has warned that the country is approaching a critical breaking point amid escalating insecurity, widespread abductions, and persistent reports of human rights abuses.
In a statement on Tuesday, Media & Teens Network called on President Bola Tinubu’s government to take “decisive and transparent” action to confront what it described as a worsening cycle of violence and state failures that continue to endanger millions across the country.
The appeal came at a time when Nigeria is reeling from a wave of devastating attacks.
Hundreds of Children Abducted
Media & Teens Network highlighted two major school kidnappings that shocked the country in recent weeks. More than 50 girls were abducted from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, where the Vice Principal was killed during the attack. Days later, 315 pupils were seized from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papri, Niger State.
The youngest victim is six years old.
Although around 100 of the Papri students were released this week and some others escaped earlier, the fate of at least 165 children and staff remains uncertain. According to community members, three parents have died from stress-related medical complications since the abduction.
“The question Nigerians are now asking is: When will the remaining 165 children come home?” the organisation said.
Questions Over Nigeria’s Military Priorities
Media & Teens Network in the statement signed by its Executive Director, Lillian Okenwa, also questioned Nigeria’s security strategy after credible reports indicated that the Nigerian Air Force carried out rapid precision strikes in neighbouring Benin Republic to help block an attempted coup. The mission, which reportedly lasted about half an hour, sparked criticism within Nigeria over what many citizens see as a striking contrast with the government’s response to domestic threats.
“If Nigeria can deploy coordinated military power to defend another nation’s democracy, why has that same urgency not been used to rescue Nigerian children or dismantle terror enclaves at home?” the group asked.
Women Killed During Protest in Adamawa
Tensions escalated further this week after soldiers escorting a senior military commander allegedly opened fire on a group of women protesting delayed security responses to attacks on their communities in Lamurde, Adamawa State.
Twelve women were shot, according to local accounts. Seven died at the scene, and five remain hospitalised. Community leaders said the protesters were expressing frustration after militia groups attacked multiple villages, allegedly without resistance.
“The women were angry, frustrated and tired of burying their own,” one elder told the group. “They were demanding answers. Instead, what they got were bullets.”
The Nigerian Army has denied responsibility, blaming local militias. Media & Teens Network said the pattern of civilian casualties and shifting narratives demands independent scrutiny.
Seven Demands for Government Action
The organisation issued a list of urgent demands, including:
- Immediate rescue operations for the remaining abducted schoolchildren.
- An independent public inquiry into the Adamawa protest killings.
- A review of military rules of engagement, particularly regarding civilian protection.
- Domestic counterterrorism operations that match the speed and precision of recent foreign deployments.
- Strengthened school and community security in line with Nigeria’s Safe Schools Declaration.
- Accountability mechanisms for security agencies implicated in abuse.
- Renewed federal commitment to ending gender-based violence and mass abductions.
“Nigeria is at a breaking point,” the group warned. “Citizens cannot continue to live, and die, under the shadow of unchecked violence, kidnappings, and systemic failure.”
