Former Minister of Information Jerry Gana has raised a warning that armed groups behind the recent surge in school kidnappings in northern Nigeria may be seizing children as human shields. He linked their actions to fears triggered by remarks from United States President Donald Trump, who had earlier threatened tougher action against terror groups.
Gana spoke in Abuja at a reception held to honour the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, following his emergence as chairman of the World Customs Organisation. The event also doubled as a fundraising dinner for the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations’ national secretariat.
In his remarks, Gana suggested that the sudden rise in coordinated school abductions points to a shift in the tactics of criminal groups who fear they may soon face external military pressure. He said elders and statesmen should be troubled by the sight of young people being seized repeatedly, adding that the geography of the attacks shows the bandits moving deeper into forest hideouts in expectation of aerial assaults.
Gana noted that he received a call shortly before arriving at the event, warning that the bandits appeared to be taking the US president’s threat seriously and were gathering children to shield themselves. He urged security agencies to recognise that the groups knew they were being tracked and were preparing for possible strikes.
He also called on the Nigerian government to strengthen its cooperation with international partners, saying modern warfare had evolved to the point where targets could be identified and hit from the air. He stressed that the situation required careful strategy and swift action. The claim, however, could not be independently confirmed.
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Also speaking at the event, Minister of Information Idris Mohammed said foreign media organisations had been pressing him for updates on the recent abductions in Kebbi and Niger states, reflecting growing international concern over Nigeria’s security crisis. He explained that the government was working to rescue the students and that President Bola Tinubu had directed security agencies to expedite all efforts.
Mohammed maintained that the administration would not allow the narrative of insecurity to be exaggerated abroad, insisting that economic indicators were improving and that the violence was not limited to one region. He asked citizens to support the government’s efforts and avoid amplifying alarmist reports.
The Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, described Adeniyi’s WCO elevation as a significant step for Nigeria’s influence in global trade management. The NIPR President, Dr Ike Neliaku, praised Adeniyi’s steady rise as proof of commitment and professionalism.
The warnings and disclosures come at a time when international attention is fixed on the escalating kidnappings and attacks across northern Nigeria, raising pressure on the government to respond with a more decisive strategy.
