The abduction of more than 276 schoolgirls from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, on the night of 14 April 2014 marked a turning point in Nigeria’s security crisis. It triggered global outrage and the emergence of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign, while exposing the vulnerability of schools to terrorists.
Since then, thousands of students have been abducted across Nigeria in a pattern that has spread from insurgency-affected regions to wider banditry hotspots. The incidents have reshaped public concern around education safety, especially in boarding schools.
This timeline documents major school attacks and student kidnappings in Nigeria from 2014 to the present.
February 2014: On February 25, 2014, 58 boys were killed at the Federal Government College of Buni Yadi in Yobe when Boko Haram insurgents opened fire on the school students as they slept in a dormitory. The terrorists also razed 24 buildings in the school in the attack. Three years later, AbdulKadir Abubakar, the man who led the attack, was arrested and has remained in military detention.
The brazen Chibok girls’ abduction took the world by storm.
April 2014: About two months later, armed militants arrived in the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok with gunshots in the air and herded at least 276 girls into their trucks. The kidnapping sparked international outrage and the popular #BringBackOurGirls campaign.
While many of the girls, now women, have managed to either escape or have been rescued through military operations and ransom payment, many remain missing.
March 2016: On March 1, 2016, three teenage girls were abducted from Babington Macurlay Junior Seminary (BMJS) Ikorodu, by heavily armed men believed to be suspected pipeline vandals.
The girls were later rescued by a team led by the Lagos state commissioner of police
January 2017: In January, kidnappers invaded the Nigerian Turkish International College, Isheri, Ogun, and abducted five students and three members of staff. One of the abductees was said to be a Turkish national. Many parents withdrew their children from the school in outrage.
The victims were freed after 11 days in captivity.
May 2017: In May, kidnappers abducted six students from Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe. According to reports, the kidnappers planned to use the abducted students as bait to secure pipeline and waterways security contracts from the federal government.
The kidnappers were also said to have intended to use the abducted students to pressure the Lagos state government to release most of their gang members who were arrested for bank robberies and other high-profile kidnappings across the state.
The students regained freedom after spending 65 days in captivity.
February 2018: On February 19, 2018, Boko Haram abducted 113 students from the Government Girls Secondary and Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe state. Dapchi is situated approximately 275 km away from the north-west of Chibok.
Five of the girls were said to have died in captivity. The students were later released except Leah Sharibu, who reportedly did not convert to Islam. She has remained in captivity ever since.
December 2020: On December 11, 2020, more than 303 students of Government Science Secondary School, a boys’ boarding school in Kankara, Katsina state, were kidnapped by gunmen.
The students were released six days later, after rescue intervention by the state government.
February 2021: Gunmen targeted the Government Science College in Kagara, Niger state, and 41 people, including staff members, students, and their family members, were taken hostage.
The victims were eventually released after negotiations with the abductors.
Some days later, on February 26, about 317 schoolgirls were kidnapped from the Government Girls Science Secondary School, Jangebe in Jangebe, Zamfara state.
March 2021: On March 11, 2021, 39 students were kidnapped by gunmen in the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, Igabi LGA, Kaduna state.
May 2021: On May 30, 2021, armed men attacked an Islamic school in Niger state, abducting about 150 students. The abductors demanded N200 million in ransom; however, the state government said it would not comply with the demand but rather negotiate.
Some of the children were said to have died in captivity, while the remaining gained their freedom months later.
On a Friday afternoon, students of Abarshi Secondary School in Birnin-Yauri prayed for the safe return of the girls in captivity.
June 2021: On June 17, 2021, over 96 students and eight teachers were abducted by bandits at Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, Kebbi State.
Troops of the Nigerian army rescued some of the students while many were reportedly released after a ransom was paid. Others regained freedom after several months in captivity.
July 2021: In July, over 153 students and staff of Bethel Baptist High School, Damishi, Kaduna state were abducted by gunmen in the middle of the night.
This incident sparked outrage in the state, raising concerns about the safety of students in boarding schools across Nigeria.
January 2023: Six people were abducted at the Local Government Education Authority Primary School, Alwaza, in Doma, Nasarawa state. Two of the students were rescued a day after the incident, while the remaining four spent 14 days in abduction before rescue.
September 2023: In September, about 24 students were reportedly kidnapped from their hostel in Sabon Gida, Zamfara state.
October 2023: At least four students of Nasarawa State University in Keffi were abducted when suspected gunmen attacked their lodge on October 10, 2023.
January 2024: On January 30, 2024, gunmen attacked the school bus of Apostolic Faith Secondary School, in Ekiti, abducting an unknown number of pupils, a teacher and the bus driver.
The pupils and their teacher were eventually rescued four days later while the bus driver was found dead.
March 2024: On March 8, 2024, another abduction occurred in Kaduna state. Gunmen surrounded the Government Secondary School, Kuriga, Chikun LGA of Kaduna, abducted 287 students and killed one vigilante in the process.
Uba Sani, the state governor, announced their release some weeks later, but he did not confirm if all the students were released.
A day later, another 15 students were kidnapped from Tsangaya school in Gidan Bakuso in Gada LGA of Sokoto state.
Tsangaya is a school that combines Islamic and Western education.
The students regained freedom after spending 14 days in captivity; they were reportedly rescued during military operations.
November 2025: In the early hours on November 17, 2025, gunmen attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School (GGCSS) Maga in Danko/Wasagu LGA of Kebbi state and abducted 25 female students.
Hassan Makuku, who was said to be the school’s vice-principal, lost his life during the attack, while Ali Shehu, a security guard, sustained gunshot injuries to his right hand.
On November 21, 315 people — including 303 students and 12 teachers — were abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwarra LGA.
April 2026: In April 2026, five students of Gateway Polytechnic, Saapade, Ogun were abducted by armed men.
The Ogun state police command later rescued the students.
May 2026: Between May 13 and 14, militants attacked a primary school in Chibok, Borno, and abducted 42 children.
On May 15, dozens of students, alongside some staff members, were abducted when gunmen invaded three schools in the Ahoro-Esiele/Yawota axis of Oriire in Ogbomoso, Oyo state.
The abducted victims included Rachael Alamu, the vice-principal of Community Grammar School.
An assistant headmaster identified as Adesiyan was killed during the attack.
