The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has launched a scathing attack on President Bola Tinubu led administration following a series of mass kidnappings in Northern Nigeria, accusing the Federal Government of “surrendering to terrorists” through what it describes as weak, uncoordinated, and reactionary security measures.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the PDP said Nigerians have endured “a spate of kidnappings” in the last week alone, including the abduction of 25 students in Kebbi State and another 315 students and staff in Niger State.
These incidents, the party said, have left “a trail of sorrows, tears, blood, fear, and deep anguish” across the affected communities.
While states scramble to respond, the PDP alleges that the Tinubu-led Federal Government has offered no clear direction.
It criticised reports that the government is considering shutting down schools in vulnerable areas, warning that such a step would be “a complete surrender to terrorists.”
According to the statement, “the closure of schools, if undertaken, like many of this administration’s quick-fix approaches to serious governance issues, will amount to a complete surrender to terrorists, whose sole aim is to shut down schools and prevent children from obtaining formal education.”
The opposition party noted that shutting down schools aligns perfectly with the objectives of the terror groups, insisting that the government should instead be developing a robust, multi-level security plan.
The PDP also highlighted the dire educational context in the North. Citing UNICEF data, the statement stressed that Nigeria’s 18.3 million out-of-school children—10.2 million in primary school and 8.1 million in secondary—are mostly concentrated in the region, warning that more school closures would “exacerbate the already challenging educational situation in Northern Nigeria.”
Beyond policy concerns, the PDP accused President Tinubu of showing “insensitivity” in his handling of the tragedies. Rather than visiting the affected states, the President only directed the Minister of State for Defence to relocate to Kebbi—a gesture the PDP described as lacklustre and dismissive.
“A juxtaposition of the contingents sent to the US Congress and the G-20 meeting with Matawalle’s lone envoy exposes the levity with which the presidency treats this matter,” the party said.
The PDP demanded immediate funding and rollout of the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools, describing it as a framework anchored on community intelligence and rapid response—tools it says are urgently needed to protect schools.
The statement ends with a pointed reminder to the President: “The security of lives and property is the primary function of any government. At any time government is unwilling, unable, or incapable of executing this primary role, such a government must either ask for help (locally or internationally) or honourably resign, if it is sincere and responsible.”
For now, parents in the affected communities wait anxiously, caught between grief, uncertainty, and a national debate that once again questions how Nigerian children can simply go to school without fear.