By Abigail David

The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, has called for the immediate and safe release of pupils and teachers abducted during recent attacks on schools in Oyo and Borno states.

Fall made the appeal following a meeting in Abuja with a delegation from the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre, led by Dr. Samuel Umanah, amid growing concerns over attacks on educational institutions and the safety of schoolchildren.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the UN official expressed deep concern over the worsening security situation affecting schools and learning communities across Nigeria.

The meeting focused on security challenges facing educational institutions, while both parties expressed solidarity with affected families, school authorities and communities.

In Oyo State, gunmen attacked three schools in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15, abducting more than 40 pupils, including toddlers, alongside seven teachers. The affected schools were Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community High School, Ahoro-Esienle; and L.A. Primary School.

Reports indicated that one teacher was killed during the attack, while another was later murdered in captivity.

A similar incident occurred in Mussa, Borno State, where armed men reportedly attacked three schools and abducted more than 50 children, most of them between the ages of two and five. The affected institutions included Government Day Secondary School, Mussa Central Primary School and SUBEB Secondary School.

Describing the attacks as unacceptable, Fall stressed that schools should remain safe environments for learning.

“The UN Resident Coordinator is deeply saddened that these school children and their teachers are still being held by armed groups. Schools must remain safe havens for learning and not places of fear. Children should never be a target,” he said.

He noted that the incidents highlight the urgent need for stronger measures to protect children, teachers and educational facilities from violence and insecurity.

While acknowledging efforts by government authorities and security agencies, Fall urged them to intensify operations aimed at securing the safe return of all abducted victims and ensuring those responsible are brought to justice.

He also reaffirmed the United Nations’ commitment to supporting initiatives that promote safe, inclusive and violence-free learning environments across Nigeria.

According to him, protecting children’s right to education remains essential, particularly in vulnerable and conflict-affected communities where schools increasingly face security threats.

Fall further advocated the full implementation of Minimum Standards for Safe Schools, stronger emergency response systems and improved data-driven strategies to protect schools and at-risk children nationwide.

By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna

Leader of the Kaduna State 2026 Hajj delegation, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha, has described this year’s pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia as the best Hajj experience he has had since performing his first pilgrimage 45 years ago.

Mustapha, a former Head of Service in Kaduna State, made the remarks during a visit to Kaduna pilgrims at their accommodation in Makkah, according to a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Uba Sani, Malam Ibraheem Musa.

He said he first performed Hajj in 1981 and also served as Amirul Hajj for Kaduna State in 1999. He commended the management of the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, led by Malam Salihu S. Abubakar, for conducting what he described as a transparent and hitch-free exercise.Mustapha noted that the delegation had not received reports of misconduct among Kaduna pilgrims and urged them to remain disciplined and comply with Saudi regulations as preparations begin for their return to Nigeria.

Also speaking, the Executive Chairman of the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Malam Salihu S. Abubakar, praised pilgrims for their cooperation throughout the exercise and appealed for continued compliance during the return process.He informed pilgrims that Saudi authorities, with the approval of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), have introduced strict baggage regulations.

According to him, each pilgrim is allowed two checked bags weighing no more than 23 kilograms each and one piece of hand luggage not exceeding 8 kilograms.Salihu said the measures are aimed at ensuring a smooth and timely departure process from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and urged pilgrims to comply with the guidelines.

By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna

The Arewa Cohesion for Peace, Unity and Development (ACI) has criticised what it describes as a “selective national response” to recent schoolchildren abductions in Oyo and Borno States, calling for equal attention and urgency in addressing both incidents.

In a statement signed by its Director General, Dr. Abdullahi Idris, the group said the abduction of 39 schoolchildren in Oyo State received widespread national attention, including visits from Federal Government representatives, labour unions, and civil society organisations.

However, ACI expressed concern that the abduction of 42 children in Mussa community, Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, which occurred around the same period, has not attracted similar national response. The group said the victims in Borno include primary and secondary school pupils, as well as a one-and-a-half-year-old child who has reportedly been in captivity for over two weeks.

ACI also noted that several national organisations, including labour unions and civil society groups, had responded publicly to the Oyo incident but had not shown comparable solidarity for the Borno victims.

While condemning all forms of insecurity, the group stressed that all victims of abduction deserve equal concern regardless of region, ethnicity, or religion.It commended Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum for his visits to affected communities, but urged the Federal Government and other stakeholders to ensure balanced attention to security incidents nationwide.

ACI further called for enhanced security deployments in vulnerable areas and supported the Federal Government’s approval of forest guards for Oyo State, urging similar measures across high-risk regions in the country. The group appealed for intensified efforts by security agencies to secure the release of all abducted persons and strengthen protection for schools and rural communities.