Former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, has raised alarm over a troubling trend in the recent mass abductions across northern Nigeria, suggesting that bandits may be kidnapping children and villagers to shield themselves from potential international military action.
Speaking on Saturday during a reception in Abuja held in honour of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, who was recently appointed Chairman of the World Customs Organisation, Gana warned that the surge in kidnappings may be strategic.
The event also doubled as a fundraising dinner for the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).
Gana linked the pattern of attacks to reactions within bandit groups following remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who criticised rising violence in Nigeria and hinted that the United States might intervene militarily if the situation deteriorates further.
According to him, emerging intelligence suggests that the criminals now believe they may be targeted by airstrikes, prompting them to seize schoolchildren and residents in forested areas that could serve as defensive zones.
His concerns come amid a spike in mass kidnappings.
Within the past week, gunmen abducted 25 female students from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, while another 315 students, teachers, and pupils were taken from St. Mary’s Private School in Papiri, Agwara, Niger State. Similar attacks have also been reported in Zamfara.
Gana said he received a phone call shortly before Saturday’s ceremony, reinforcing these fears.
His words: “It should become extremely worrying, especially for elders, statesmen, and fathers of the nation, to see younger ones being abducted here and there in various parts of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Somebody phoned me just before I came here to say that it would appear that the bandits and others who are causing this trouble 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 from wherever they are. In various places, they are just going ahead to pick up young people. And it would appear that maybe that person really has a point.
“Therefore, those of you who are very close to security agencies here should tell them they (bandits) know that they are being targeted.
“Their fear is that they are going to be targeted from the air and therefore felt the need to grab a few people to be human shields. In that, they would also fail. But those of you in security should kindly help us because I think there is tremendous wisdom in what that person has said.
“This is because if you look at the geography of the places they are now, most of the areas are close to forests if you see the location. I’m a geographer and I have seen that many of the areas they are picking people to hide are in those forests and they know they’ll be targeted.”
Gana urged security agencies to immediately investigate the pattern and advised the Federal Government to deepen collaboration with international partners to curb the escalating crisis.
He said: “I think the Nigerian government will need all the wisdom to liaise with whoever can help us. They don’t have to really come to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Technology has gone to a point where you can be targeted from the air. And I think these people need to be targeted now from the air.”
Responding, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, noted that the kidnappings have gained global attention, with international media constantly requesting updates.
He stressed that the government’s primary concern is the safe recovery of the abducted victims.
He said foreign media outlets had already contacted him for confirmation of casualty figures from the Agwara abduction, but he assured them that security forces were working to ensure the students’ rescue, saying:
“My response to them is that while we are counting those who are kidnapped, I’m telling them that by God’s grace, we are already working for them to get released. And they will be released in God’s name very, very soon.”
Idris also rejected claims that insecurity is confined to a particular region, adding that Nigeria’s macroeconomic indicators are improving, including GDP growth, declining inflation, and rising investor confidence.
He cautioned citizens against portraying the country negatively on the international stage.
Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, praised the Customs boss Bashir Adewale Adeniyi for his leadership and his new role as World Customs Organisation chairman, describing it as proof of Nigeria’s reform success.
NIPR President, Dr. Ike Neliaku, commended Adeniyi’s humility and dedication, noting that he initially resisted public celebrations before finally agreeing to attend the event.
